Meloni Allies Push to Halt June 22 FIGC Vote After Italy Misses 3rd Straight World Cup
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 20
Meloni Allies Push to Halt June 22 FIGC Vote After Italy Misses 3rd Straight World Cup
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 20
Summary
June 22 FIGC elections are under threat after Giorgia Meloni’s allies moved to cancel the vote and place Italy’s football federation under special administration.
Italy’s third consecutive failure to qualify for the men’s World Cup turned the sporting collapse into a political fight over who controls the game and how to force a recovery.
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi said a rebound should come before new elections, while football officials say the intervention is a power play aimed at blocking favorite Giovanni Malagò.
Former FIGC president Gabriele Gravina, 72, called the administration plan a government “occupation,” and opposition parties cast the dispute as part of Meloni’s broader push to centralize control over independent institutions.
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Three World Cups Missed: The Political and Structural Crisis Behind Italian Football’s Decline and the Urgent Path to Reform
Overview
As of June 2026, Italian football faces a critical political battle as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government seeks greater control over the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) just before the presidential elections. The government argues that football operates as a privileged club with poor results, especially when compared to the recent successes of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) in other sports. However, these efforts have met strong political resistance and are struggling to gain traction, highlighting deep divisions and the urgent need for reform in Italian football governance.