Italian Football Federation

The Italian Football Federation, known as the FIGC, is the supreme authority for association football in Italy. Headquartered in Rome with its technical hub in Coverciano, Florence, it runs the entire Italian league system from Serie A down to the amateur divisions, plus the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana. Founded on 26 March 1898 in Turin, the FIGC is one of the oldest football federations in the world. It joined FIFA in 1905 and became a founding member of UEFA in 1954.

The federation appoints coaches for all national teams, including the men's and women's senior sides, youth teams from U-23 down to U-15, and futsal. It also enforces rules, develops youth programs, and handles disciplinary matters. With an annual budget exceeding €100 million, the FIGC is a major force in Italian sports. Its influence, however, has been tested by scandals like the 2006 Calciopoli match-fixing affair and recent governance crises following Italy's failure to qualify for three consecutive World Cups. [edit]

The FIGC's mission is to organize, promote, and develop football in Italy at all levels. It aims to ensure fair play, integrity, and the growth of the sport through youth academies, coaching education at Coverciano, and strict enforcement of rules. The federation also represents Italian football internationally, striving for excellence in both men's and women's competitions. [edit]

The Italian Football Federation was founded on 26 March 1898 in Turin as the Federazione Italiana Football (FIF). Enrico D'Ovidio convened a Constituent Assembly on 15 March, and Mario Vicary was elected the first president eleven days later. The federation changed its name to Federazione Italiana Giuoco del Calcio (FIGC) in 1909, a name it still carries.

The Italy men's national team played its first match on 15 May 1910 at the Arena Civica, beating France 6–2 in white jerseys. The iconic blue jersey debuted the following year against Hungary, a tribute to the House of Savoy. Italy won its first World Cup in 1934, hosted on home soil, and repeated in 1938. After joining UEFA as a founding member in 1954, the Azzurri claimed their first European Championship in 1968.

The federation faced its darkest hour in 2006 when the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal erupted. The FIGC was placed under administration in May 2006, with Guido Rossi appointed special commissioner. He resigned in September and was replaced by Luca Pancalli. Giancarlo Abete was elected president in April 2007, guiding the federation through recovery. That same year, Italy won its fourth World Cup in Germany.

More recently, the FIGC has struggled with governance issues. Italy failed to qualify for the 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups, leading to the resignation of chairman Gabriele Gravina in April 2025. Gennaro Gattuso took over as coach in June 2025 but resigned on 3 April 2026 after a brief, unsuccessful tenure. Gianluigi Buffon also stepped down as delegation head. Giovanni Malagò is now expected to lead the federation, with an elective assembly scheduled for 22 June 2025. [edit]