Giovanni Malago elected as new president of Italy's football federation

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) held an extraordinary general assembly in a Rome hotel, where former CONI chief Giovanni Malago won 68.5% of the votes to become the federation’s new president, succeeding Gabriele Gravina after the latter resigned following Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Malago pledged to restore Italian football to its former glory, citing his experience overseeing Italy’s successful medal haul at the 2024 Paris Olympics and involvement in the upcoming 2026 Milano‑Cortina Winter Games.

UEFA deputy chairman Armand Duka, attending the assembly, highlighted Italy’s co‑hosting of Euro 2032 with Turkey and urged investment in infrastructure to leave a lasting legacy. The election follows the national team’s playoff defeat to Bosnia‑Herzegovina, which ended a streak of World Cup appearances dating back to 2018.