Andrea Pirlo’s Italy Appointment Falls Through Over Russian Bookmaker Partnership

^{Andrea Pirlo, former footballer and FONBET ambassador}

Andrea Pirlo will not become head coach of the Italian national team following a dispute over his partnership with Russian bookmaker FONBET, Sky Sport reports. Meetings between the parties scheduled for July 27 have been cancelled.

Pirlo was regarded as the leading candidate for the position, with negotiations reportedly close to completion. His appointment was backed by the federation’s technical director Paolo Maldini and Maldini’s adviser Leonardo.

However, federation officials decided to seek clarification about the terms under which Pirlo represents the Russian betting company. His trip to Moscow in May 2026 also raised additional questions.

The former Italy international said his agreement with FONBET was connected to his work in the United Arab Emirates. Pirlo has been in charge of Dubai-based United FC since July 2025 and became a FONBET ambassador in October.

Initial reports claimed that the club’s owner, Russian businessman Sergey Lomakin, had business interests in FONBET and that Pirlo’s partnership with the betting company formed part of his agreement with United FC.

Lomakin’s representatives denied those claims. They said neither the businessman nor the club had any connection to FONBET and that Pirlo had signed the partnership agreement independently.

Several Italian politicians spoke out against Pirlo’s potential appointment after reports emerged that he was being considered for the role.

Pirlo said on Instagram today that he had been informed the previous evening that his candidacy was no longer under consideration. He added that his partnership with FONBET was strictly commercial and sports-related, and thanked Maldini and Leonardo for their trust.