Ceferin: 'Political interference' in Italian football could 'undermine UEFA trust' ahead of Euro 2032

Giovanni Malagò was elected FIGC President this past June, but Italian football is still far from stable. Technically, the reason is that Malagò didn't formally have a FIGC membership, which is required to run for the presidency.

"FIFA and UEFA have always unequivocally insisted on the autonomy of federations. I hope the competent bodies will decide in line with the rules of sports law as soon as possible; the worsening institutional crisis benefits no one.

"We do not intend to prejudge the institutions' decisions, but the independence of federations and respect for the will of their members are fundamental principles of the UEFA and FIFA Statutes, and we expect them to be upheld. We trust that the Italian sports institutions will find a solution in line with these principles, in the interest of both Italian and international football.

" Ceferin was asked whether a FIGC put under special administration would have consequences on Italy's role as a co-host of Euro 2032. "I do not intend to comment on hypothetical scenarios.

No decision has been made yet," he replied. Italy's former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (L) receive the 2024 UEFA President's Award from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin during the ceremony of the draw for the group stage of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League football tournament, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on August 29, 2024.

For this very reason, it is important to preserve the independence of sports institutions. Any political interference could undermine the trust of UEFA and other partners, which would not serve either Italian football or the tournament.

" Ceferin has long been vocal that Italy must build new infrastructure and stadiums. "Italy's football infrastructure is nowhere near the prestige your football enjoys," he insisted.

In August, 13 cities expressed interest in hosting matches, and the significant investments announced are an encouraging sign that institutions understand the seriousness of the situation. However, time is not on anyone's side.

The willingness shown must be translated into concrete steps as quickly as possible; that is the only thing that counts for success. "The examples of Juventus, Atalanta, and Udinese demonstrate that when a club takes over a stadium and manages it, results follow relatively quickly.