CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio insists ‘the autonomy of sport was safeguarded and we showed rules must be respected’ after Giovanni Malagò was appointed special commissioner of the FIGC to replace himself. ‘He has the perfect CV.’

The bizarre scenario unfolded because Malagò won the landslide election in June to be President of the Italian Football Federation, but was not a registered member, so should not have been a valid candidate.

With the inevitability that the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) that oversees all Italian sport would need to declare the election void and appoint a special commissioner, they resolved the issue by simply giving the job to Malagò , who effectively took over from himself in a new role.

“I don’t let myself be influenced by anyone, but the important thing was to safeguard the autonomy of sport and show that rules must be respected,” declared Buonfiglio to reporters including Sky Sport Italia.

“With this decision, we reiterated the concept that rules must be respected, that the vote was unanimous and the CONI President took the responsibility of nominating a special commissioner.

“In my view, Malagò was the victim of a malfunction, so why should he be the one to pay for that? So I told him that he would be the special commissioner, because he has a perfect CV, we are getting back on track with the Nazionale, so he can continue his work for the next 90 days.”

Malagò has already declared that the new election for FIGC President is scheduled for December 14, and he is widely expected to win, this time with the correct paperwork.

With this chaotic matter resolved, it is also hoped that the FIGC can walk back some of the effects of that tension, including the resignation of Diana Bianchedi as delegation chief for the Italy team.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Buonfiglio: ‘Malagò has perfect CV to be FIGC Special Commissioner’" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Gironi & Calendario metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Mondiali 2026 Italia Editorial Desk. Readers following "Buonfiglio: ‘Malagò has perfect CV to be FIGC Special Commissioner’" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.