Overview
- Roberto Mancini was officially reappointed as Italy head coach on a four‑year deal, and he publicly apologised for leaving the job in 2023 during his first press conference on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
- Claudio Ranieri has been named FIGC technical director to oversee the national set‑up and early reform work, a post created to strengthen Club Italia after Paolo Maldini resigned from the role following a failed coach search.
- The crisis that preceded these hires included top targets Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola declining the job and Andrea Pirlo’s candidacy being withdrawn because of his ties to a Russian betting firm, which helped trigger Maldini’s resignation.
- Mancini’s immediate remit is short‑term: prepare Italy for Nations League matches starting with a home game against Belgium on September 25, 2026, while also laying groundwork for youth and scouting reforms that remain undefined.
- Public and institutional reaction is split, with polls and commentators sceptical because of Mancini’s 2023 exit for Saudi Arabia, and FIGC leadership under President Giovanni Malagò reasserting control to prioritise quick stability over a longer, contested reform plan.