# Guardiola’s Italy talks advance as FIGC confirms financial concessions

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/financial-exceptions-made-for-pep-guardiola-to-become-next-italy-head-coach/
- Published: 2026-07-22T12:32:08+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-22T18:47:44+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/22/financial-exceptions-pep-guardiola-next-italy-head-coach
- Topics: Entertainment, Europe, Football, Government, Politics, Sport, TV, World

## Key points

- FIGC confirms financial exceptions to help land Guardiola as Italy coach
- Deal still unconfirmed; Mancini and Pirlo also in contention
- Role vacant since Gattuso quit after World Cup qualification failure

## Summary

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has confirmed that special financial "exceptions" have been arranged to accommodate Pep Guardiola, should he become Italy's next head coach, in the clearest sign yet that talks with the former Manchester City manager are progressing. FIGC president Giovanni Malagò named Guardiola directly when discussing the arrangements but stopped short of confirming a deal, insisting the appointment remains far from certain. It would end months of speculation, give Guardiola his first international management role, and fill the vacancy left by Gennaro Gattuso's resignation in April after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup.

Guardiola, who left City after a decorated ten-year spell that yielded six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League, is free to take up a new post having also managed Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Roberto Mancini, who guided Italy to Euro 2020 glory, and former midfielder Andrea Pirlo remain in contention too, with Malagò declining to say the shortlist was limited to those three names. The search for a new coach comes as Italian football sits at its lowest ebb in nearly 40 years, following early European exits and World Cup absence, with the appointment seen as the first step in rebuilding a collapsed youth system; Italy next play Belgium in the Nations League on 25 September.

## Coverage

- [The Guardian: Guardiola’s Italy talks advance as FIGC confirms financial concessions](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/22/financial-exceptions-pep-guardiola-next-italy-head-coach)
- [BBC Sport: Financial exceptions could be made for Guardiola - Italian FA](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/czxqdv4818yo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.