Abodi rejects claims of political intervention

Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi rejected suggestions on 30 September 2026 that the government is seeking to place the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) under extraordinary administration. Speaking in Milan on the sidelines of the fifth edition of the Sky Up The Edit educational project, Abodi responded to claims that the potential removal of FIGC president Giovanni Malagò is politically motivated. Malagò previously stated that the scrutiny over his position had little to do with sports. Abodi insisted that any potential decision rests entirely with the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) rather than the government, noting that his role as minister is limited to overseeing CONI.

“Here there is neither a personal nor a political issue. The attempt to put it on this level is an attempt to create confusion, which a system that needs to restart does not need. When CONI makes a decision, putting it on a political level is a mortification of CONI that I believe CONI does not deserve.”

The legal review into Malagò's election

The dispute stems from Malagò's missing federal membership registration at the time of his candidacy, an issue currently under examination by CONI's Giunta and Consiglio Nazionale. On 30 September 2026, CONI received a fourth legal opinion from jurists assessing the regulatory consequences of the missing registration, while Malagò's legal team prepared counter-opinions. Under the Italian civil code, acts signed by Malagò remain valid or potentially voidable rather than automatically void, with legal assessments focusing on the president's good faith. Malagò won election to the FIGC presidency on 22 June 2026 with 68.58% of the vote, entering the race following Italy's national team defeat in Bosnia.

Mancini backed as national team head coach

Abodi confirmed that national team head coach Roberto Mancini will remain in his post regardless of any federation administration. The minister stated that Mancini's position is secure following Italy's recent victory in Turkey and a home defeat against Belgium. Abodi praised Malagò's decision to hire Mancini, saying the technical staff and players remain unconditioned by the governance dispute at federation headquarters.

Opposition accusations and institutional reactions

The potential administration of the FIGC drew sharp criticism from political opponents and sports figures. Mauro Berruto, national sports lead for the Democratic Party and former men's national volleyball head coach from 2010 to 2015, accused the government of trying to seize control of Italian football. Berruto pointed to alleged conflicts of interest involving government undersecretaries Claudio Barbaro and Paolo Barelli, noting that Barelli self-suspended as Italian Swimming Federation president on 22 April 2026 after previously leading Forza Italia's parliamentary group when it eliminated federation term limits.

“The reality of the facts is the explicit desire to commissar the football federation by the government and Sports Minister Abodi.”

International concerns and Euro 2032 preparations

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis criticized both Abodi and Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, while UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin and other European football officials defended the autonomy of the FIGC. On the same day as the governance review, the FIGC submitted its preliminary stadium dossier on 30 September 2026 for UEFA Euro 2032. The dossier features 13 candidate host cities and 14 stadiums, including both the Stadio Olimpico and the proposed AS Roma venue in Pietralata for Rome.