Malagò announces new Italy head of delegation after Buffon departure

FIGC President Giovanni Malagò has announced that Diana Bianchedi will now serve as the head of delegation for the Italy national team, replacing Gianluigi Buffon, who stepped away from the role after the World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of March.

Bianchedi is Italy’s new delegation chief Malagò confirmed that Bianchedi would be given the role during an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport , which was published on Sunday.

This is an interesting appointment, as unlike the last three incumbents of the role (Buffon, Gianluca Vilalli and Gigi Riva), Bianchedi’s background is not in football, rather in fencing and more recently with CONI (The Italian Olympic Committee).

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – JANUARY 30: 2028 Winter Youth Olympics Dolomiti Valtellina comittee (From L) bid coordinator and Olympic champion Antonio Rossi, Chief strategy planning and legacy and Olympic champion Diana Bianchedi, Italian National Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago, Italia’s sport Minister Andrea Abodi, Lombardy Region President Attilio Fontana, Trento Province President Maurizio Fugatti and Veneto’s regional councillor Cristiano Corazzari stand after the Italian bid was elected during an IOC session on January 30, 2025 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Seven candidates compete in the election for the IOC presidency at the 143rd IOC Session held from 18 to 21 March 2025 in Greece. (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini – Pool/Getty Images) Bianchedi was a two-time Olympic gold medalist in 1992 and 2000, was the youngest individual ever and the first woman ever to be appointed as a CONI executive in 2001, and in 2025, was appointed as vice-President of the Italian Olympic Committee.

She also holds a degree in medicine and surgery and was fundamental in the successful Rome 2024 Olympic and Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic bids.

“Football should no longer be perceived as a separate entity,” Malagò said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport .

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) “Diana has international prestige and credibility, is a double Olympic champion, has a CV full of specialties, a degree in medicine, a masters in sports management, a top role in Milano-Cortina and deputy vice-President of CONI.”

He continued: “It’s a cultural revolution I would say. Being deputy vice-President of CONI and, at the same time, the institutional face of the Italy football team is like putting football back at the centre of a 360° conversation with the rest of sport.”