Under an agreement reached with Italian National Olympic Committee President Luciano Bonfiglio and approved by the executive board of the Olympic body, Malagò will remain the number one man in Italian football, but temporarily bearing the title of "Extraordinary Commissioner" of the Italian Federation.
A brief statement by the Italian National Olympic Committee explained that "President Bonfiglio proposed to the executive board to place the Italian Football Federation under guardianship, and to assign Giovanni Malagò to this task, provided that new elections are held no later than January 31, 2027."
Malagò had succeeded Gabriele Gravina last June, who resigned following Italy's defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoff final for the 2026 World Cup on March 31 (1-1 after extra time, and 1-4 on penalties).
However, his election with 68.6% of the votes was challenged by a lawyer who asserted that he did not hold membership in the Italian Football Federation at the time of the election, as stipulated by the Federation's regulations. Both the Federation and the Olympic Committee launched an investigation into the matter, but they reached different conclusions, as the Olympic Committee initially considered Malagò's election should be annulled.
This settlement allows the continuation of the rebuilding process of Italian football, which still suffers from the shock of failing to qualify for the last three editions of the World Cup, especially since Malagò, backed by the Lega Serie A, is considered the frontrunner to win the upcoming elections.
Malagò is considered one of the most prominent figures in the Italian sports movement over the past two decades. He previously headed the Italian National Olympic Committee and also chairs the organizing committee for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Within a few weeks, he found himself forced to look for a new coach for the national team, choosing Roberto Mancini, who had previously led the "Azzurri" between 2018 and 2023, after Spaniard Pep Guardiola rejected the offer, and it was impossible to sign Andrea Pirlo due to a controversial partnership with a Russian sports betting site.
Malagò must also deal with the file for Euro 2032, which will be co-organized by Italy and Turkey, a sensitive file due to the outdated infrastructure of many Italian stadiums.
