Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – The race for the presidency of the FIGC is taking shape ahead of the Federal Elective Assembly on December 14th. On one side is Giovanni Malagò, the current commissioner of the Federation, who has collected the eleven signatures required from Serie A to formalize his candidacy; on the other is Adriano Galliani,
supported by the Italian Footballers' Association (AIC) and the Italian Football Coaches' Association (AIAC), who have decided to converge on the manager from Brianza, proposing him as an alternative to the choice of the majority of the clubs in the top division.
In a joint statement, AIC and AIAC announced that they had completed the collection of signatures required for Galliani's candidacy, calling it "an important opportunity in terms of the value of the choice, given the manager's history, experience, and results on the field."
The two associations also emphasized the former AC Milan and Monza executive's willingness to promote "an open and progressive federal vision" as part of a reform process deemed urgent. Galliani's candidacy demonstrates a significant divergence of positions within Italian football, with players and coaches deciding not to follow the advice expressed by the majority of Serie A clubs in favor of Malagò.
Urbano Cairo, president of Torino and publisher of RCS MediaGroup, also spoke on the issue, reaffirming his support for the current federal commissioner.
"I gave my support to Malagò, I signed and gave him my support," he told Rai Radio1, a guest on the program "Un Giorno da Pecora." Cairo also defended Malagò's actions, dismissing the criticism leveled against him in recent months: "In May, you propose a candidate like Malagò, you elect him in June, then there was the choice of coach, in August he may have taken a few days off, and here we are, in September.
What could he have done in four months, two of which were spent defending himself from membership attacks, before being placed under special administration?”
The race for the FIGC presidency promises to be a battle between two highly experienced figures in Italian football and sport. The deadline for submitting candidacies for the elections for the president of the Italian Football Federation, scheduled for December 14, 2026, is November 4th.
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