The Battle for the FIGC: Malagò and Abete Emerge as Frontrunners in Presidential Race

The race to lead Italian football has officially ignited. Following a high-stakes meeting in Milan on Monday, the majority of Serie A clubs have thrown their weight behind Giovanni Malagò as their candidate for the FIGC Presidency. However, the move has already triggered a counter-offensive, with Giancarlo Abete confirming his own candidacy and calling for a more inclusive approach to the election process.

As someone who has spent over 15 years in the press box—from the FIFA World Cup to the Olympic Games—I have seen how power struggles in sports governance can reshape the trajectory of a national game. In the case of the Federazione Italiana Gioco Calcio (FIGC), this is not merely a change in leadership but a clash of philosophies between the professional elite and the amateur grassroots.

Serie A’s Power Play: The Endorsement of Giovanni Malagò

During a general Lega Serie A meeting held in Milan on Monday, April 13, 2026, the top flight of Italian football moved decisively. The majority of clubs selected Giovanni Malagò, the former President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), as their preferred candidate to succeed Gabriele Gravina.

The endorsement, however, was not without friction. In a move that has raised eyebrows across the sport, Malagò was selected by the clubs before he had even presented a formal project for the federation. This lack of a detailed roadmap led to notable dissent within the league; both Lazio and Hellas Verona abstained from backing him.

Malagò brings a heavy administrative profile to the table. His recent tenure as the President of the Organising Committee for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games demonstrates a capacity for large-scale organizational management, a trait Serie A believes is necessary for the next chapter of the FIGC.

The Challenger: Giancarlo Abete Steps Forward

The momentum generated by Serie A in Milan was quickly met with a response from Rome. Giancarlo Abete, the current President of the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti (LND) and a former FIGC President from 2007 to 2014, confirmed he will run for the presidency.

Speaking during the Premio Bearzot in Rome, Abete did not mince words regarding the manner in which Malagò was nominated. “A different method would have been better,” Abete noted, signaling his disapproval of the Serie A clubs’ rapid endorsement of a candidate who had not yet presented a platform.

Abete is now seeking the same institutional backing from his own constituency that Malagò received from the professionals. He stated that he will ask the Board of Directors of the National Amateur League (LND) to grant him the authority to put forward his availability for the role.

For those unfamiliar with the structure of Italian football, the LND represents the vast majority of clubs and players in the country. By positioning himself as the candidate of the amateurs, Abete is attempting to create a “plurality of positions” at the negotiating table, ensuring that the interests of grassroots football are not overshadowed by the financial giants of Serie A.

A Clash of Methods and Mandates

The tension between the two candidates centers on the legitimacy of the nomination process. Abete has gone a step further than simply declaring his candidacy; he has issued an open invitation to other leagues and technical components to put forward their own candidates.

“We need contributions from all components,” Abete emphasized. His argument is clear: the FIGC should not be a prize handed out by a compact group of elite clubs, but rather the result of a broad consensus across all levels of the sport.

This creates a fascinating dynamic for the upcoming election. On one side, you have Malagò, backed by the commercial and global powerhouse of Lega Serie A. On the other, you have Abete, leveraging the sheer volume of the amateur game and his previous experience leading the federation.

What This Means for the FIGC

The succession of Gabriele Gravina is proving to be one of the most politically charged moments in recent Italian football history. The divide between the “professional” interest and the “amateur” interest is a recurring theme in Calcio, and this election is the current flashpoint.

While Malagò possesses the administrative weight of a former CONI chief, Abete possesses the institutional memory of a former FIGC president. The outcome will likely depend on whether the other leagues and technical bodies follow Abete’s call for a more diverse field of candidates or if the gravity of Serie A’s support is enough to carry Malagò to victory.

The next official checkpoint will be the formal approval process within the LND governing bodies, where Abete will seek the official mandate to run. As the election approaches, the focus will shift to whether Malagò releases a formal project to satisfy the skeptics within his own supporting league.

Do you consider the FIGC should be led by a representative of the professional elite or a champion of the amateur game? Let us know in the comments below.