Galliani floats candidacy idea if Malagò removed as FIGC President over irregularity
Quick summary
Adriano Galliani has suggested a potential path forward for the FIGC presidency should Gabriele Gravina or current president Giovanni Malagò be removed over a judicial irregularity.
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Attributed to original sourceIf Giovanni Malagò is removed as FIGC President over an election irregularity, then ex-Milan and Monza CEO Adriano Galliani is emerging as a possible replacement.
The June election was a landslide decision , but could be voided over a lawyer’s appeal noting that at the time Malagò was not a registered member of the Italian Football Federation.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – MARCH 05: Giovanni Malago, President of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, speaks during the Paralympic Games Opening Press Conference ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games at on March 05, 2026 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Photo by Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images) This is because he had until recently been the President of the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee), which oversees all Italian sport.
It is increasingly likely that Malagò will be forced to step down and the FIGC placed under a special commissioner, who will then set up a new election.
Galliani ready to step up MONZA, ITALY – AUGUST 13: Silvio Berluconi and CEO of AC Monza Adriano Galliani attend the Serie A match between AC Monza and Torino FC at Stadio Brianteo on August 13, 2022 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images) According to La Repubblica newspaper , several Serie A clubs are preparing for this eventuality by closing in on a suitable successor, specifically Adriano Galliani.
The 82-year-old is currently a senator for Silvio Berlusconi’s old Forza Italia party, and had been a key figure by Berlusconi’s side for four decades between Milan and Monza.
The idea would be to have Galliani lead the Federation through a brief two-year transition period until there can be new elections.
A special commissioner is likely to be confirmed around October 6-10, after the break for international duty.
Salvatore Bocchetti signs his Monza contract with Adriano Galliani(acmonza.com) Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis also hit out at the push to have Malagò removed over what is purely a technicality in the election process.
“Malagò is the only one capable of getting Italian football back on track, but they want to bring him down because someone else is targeting his spot,” said De Laurentiis.
“(Minister for the Economy and Finance Giancarlo) Giorgetti and (Minister for Sport Andrea) Abodi have always created problems for football.”
NAPLES, ITALY – JULY 14: Aurelio De Laurentiis SSC Napoli president as Massimiliano Allegri is unveiled as the new SSC Napoli head coach at Teatro di San Carlo on July 14, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) There is always the possibility of Malagò receiving his FIGC registration and then running for election again, but he might not necessarily have all the Serie A clubs backing him this time.
It is reported that sides like Inter, Juventus, Roma and Atalanta are not convinced by his first few months in charge.
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What happened
The FIGC presidency is in question following reports of an irregularity linked to current president figures. Adriano Galliani, the long-time Monza executive and former AC Milan CEO, has indicated he could be part of a solution, suggesting an alternative leadership path for Italian football's governing body. The story is political in nature, concerning the governance of the FIGC rather than on-field football matters, and reflects ongoing instability at the top of Italian football administration.
Chance analysis
Italian football's governance picture is back in flux. With the FIGC presidency potentially opening up due to a judicial irregularity, Adriano Galliani — one of the most experienced administrators in the game — putting himself forward as a stabilizing candidate adds a significant name to the conversation. How this resolves will shape the regulatory and political environment around Serie A clubs, but on-pitch implications are limited in the short term.
Potential change at the top of Italian football governance; limited immediate sporting impact on clubs or players.