Overview
- Both candidates filed their bids on Wednesday, and FIGC now has until May 22 to publish the formal acceptance ahead of the June 22 election in Rome.
- The campaign opened with manifestos published on Thursday and Friday that set out priorities for the next four years.
- Malagò enters as the reported frontrunner with backing from Serie A, the players’ union, the coaches’ union and Serie B, a bloc estimated at about 54% of weighted votes, while Abete is supported by the amateur league that holds 34%.
- The plans diverge on approach, with Malagò stressing financial sustainability, more minutes for young Italians, new stadiums and tax changes, and Abete pushing to trim club numbers, protect grassroots football, limit Serie A’s veto power and put a professional manager in charge of Club Italia.
- A legal question known as the pantouflage rule could still prompt challenges to Malagò’s bid because it requires a three‑year gap after leading CONI before taking roles in supervised bodies, and any dispute could surface before or after the vote.