Adriano Galliani has taken a concrete step towards a possible bid for the presidency of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). The former AC Milan and Monza executive has completed his registration as a delegate for Enotria 1908, an amateur club in Milan, meeting a requirement to stand in the election. The move, reported by ANSA on October 26, brings a potential contest with Giovanni Malagò closer, although Galliani has yet to formally submit his candidacy.
The significance of that registration becomes clearer when considering who might support him. Serie A, which backed Malagò in June’s election, is now debating whether to maintain that support. According to Sky Sport, some clubs, led by larger teams, are leaning towards Galliani. For the federation’s current extraordinary commissioner, the challenge is to preserve an alliance that, just four months ago, appeared strong enough to sustain his plans.
Smaller and mid-sized clubs gain influence
Attention is shifting towards the clubs that have yet to take a position. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that an informal meeting of undecided clubs was scheduled for October 27, with at least ten needing to decide whether to renew their confidence in Giovanni Malagò or turn to Adriano Galliani. Their discussions could determine which candidate the top division puts forward and how united it is when negotiating with the rest of Italian football.
In electoral terms, this gives smaller and mid-sized clubs influence that extends beyond their sporting stature. Support from the biggest teams can give an alternative candidate momentum, but it cannot secure agreement across the league on its own. For Galliani, broad backing would strengthen his position with other constituencies; for Malagò, preventing that bloc from forming would preserve a base from which to rebuild his majority.
An election that extends beyond Serie A
The negotiations do not end in the top division’s boardrooms. ANSA reports that Galliani would prefer the league’s backing but is also considering support from the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti, Italy’s amateur football organisation, led by Giancarlo Abete. The agency also highlights meetings of the governing bodies of the players’ and coaches’ associations, whose positions will help shape the electoral balance. These remain potential sources of support rather than confirmed endorsements.
At an institutional level, a Galliani candidacy would require the agreements that brought Malagò to the presidency to be renegotiated. Bringing dissatisfied parties together is only the beginning: anyone seeking to lead the federation must turn differing interests into shared support. The question is how far the clubs seeking a different candidate can win over other constituencies, and whether those groups will join them or favour continuity.
November 4 will reveal the strength of Galliani’s move
The timetable leaves little room for prolonged uncertainty. Nominations close on November 4, with the election scheduled for December 14. Until then, the decisive steps will be formal nominations and confirmed endorsements. Galliani’s registration with Enotria clears a preliminary requirement, but who will put him forward—and how much support he will take into the vote—remains to be established.
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