Giovanni Malago and Giancarlo Abete are the only candidates to replace Gabriele Gravina as FIGC President, with no former Italian players in the race. The election is set for June 22.
Mentioned in this story
FIGC President: Just two candidates to replace Gravina, no Italy legends
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, only Giovanni Malago, 67, and Giancarlo Abete, 75, will run to replace Gabriele Gravina as the FIGC President, with no former Italian player in the race.
Malagò and Abete are expected to be the only candidates at the FIGC Presidential election on June 22.
Neither has confirmed their nomination yet, but Malagò is the candidate formally picked by Lega Serie A, while the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti (LND) has chosen its President, Abete.
The latter already served as the FIGC President from 2007 to 2014.
As previously reported, votes from Serie A clubs represent 18% of the FIGC Presidential election, significantly lower than the LNDâs 34%.
However, any candidate needs a majority of the votes (51%) to be elected, so Malagò and Abete have already begun talks with other members of the voting panel.
Umberto Calcagno, the President of the Italian Players Association (which accounts for 20% of the votes), and Renzo Ulivieri, President of the Italian Coaches Association (10%), reportedly met with Malagò in Rome on Wednesday, and Abete will do the same today.
CORTINA DâAMPEZZO, ITALY â MARCH 15: Giovanni Malago, President of Milano Cortina 2026 waves during the medal ceremonies for the Menâs Slalom events on day nine of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre on March 15, 2026 in Cortina dâAmpezzo, Italy. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
The candidates are Giovanni Malago and Giancarlo Abete.
The FIGC Presidential election is scheduled for June 22.
There are no former Italian players in the race for FIGC President, with only Malago and Abete as candidates.
Hunter Goodman powers Rockies to a 3-2 win over Astros, ending a six-game skid.
Steve Kerr praises Stephen Curry's incredible performance against the Clippers
Padres beat Mariners 5-2, marking their eighth straight win!
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
Both Abete and Malagò have yet to unveil their official programme for the next four years, but Calcagno and Ulivieri have already made some proposals, including tightening the criteria for national licenses so that only those who can truly afford a season financially are admitted to domestic leagues.
According to Gazzetta, the Italian Players Association (AIC) will not indicate any of its delegates, a former Italian footballer, as a possible contender for the FIGC Presidency.
Over the last few weeks, the media indicated the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Paolo Maldini and Demetrio Albertini as possible contenders for the role.
However, it seemed a bit far-fetched to envision them running for the Presidency, as a former player has never led the Italian FA.
ROME, ITALY â DECEMBER 01: Giancarlo Abete President of LND poses during the FIGC DCPS press conference at Europa Experience on December 01, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
The Gazzetta report claims that AIC would have gladly had one of their representatives involved in the election, but only if he had been picked by one of the other components.
Yet, Abete has confirmed that he wants to run for the FIGC Presidency, so the Players and Coachesâ Associations wonât propose any other candidate, also to facilitate either Abete or Malagò reaching 51%.
Serie B and Lega Pro (Serie C) have also scheduled meetings with Malagò and Abete in the coming days.