Andrea Abodi has emerged as the frontrunner for the Milan Cortina 2026 chief executive role ©Getty Images

Andrea Abodi, the President of national Italian bank Institute for Sports Credit, has emerged as the new favourite to become chief executive of the Milan Cortina 2026 Organising Committee.

Abodi is being tipped to replace Vincenzo Novari over rival candidates including ex-UEFA vice-president Michele Uva and AC Milan President Paolo Scaroni.

Italian publications La Gazzetta dello Sport and Il Sole 24 Ore report Abodi has the backing of all Government stakeholders.

Uva had previously been expected to fill the post but did not have the support of officials in Lombardy, who favoured Scaroni, but Scaroni ruled himself out.

A final decision is not is not anticipated to be made until after a general election on September 25.

If appointed, Abodi would follow Novari, who is widely expected to be replaced as part of a sweeping reshuffle of the Milan Cortina 2026 Board of Directors.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is stepping down and any changes to the Milan Cortina 2026 Organising Committee are not expected to take place until his successor is in office ©Getty Images
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi is stepping down and any changes to the Milan Cortina 2026 Organising Committee are not expected to take place until his successor is in office ©Getty Images

A decree of the President of the Council of Ministers will formally appoint a successor to Novari.

Right-wing party Brothers of Italy and the centre-left Democratic Party are performing best in pre-election opinion polls and are both reported to support Abodi.

Milan Cortina 2026 only signed its first corporate sponsor, Esselunga, in July.

A month earlier, officials from local and regional authorities had called for an urgent meeting with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi due to serious financial concerns over the staging of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

But Draghi is set to be replaced as Prime Minister himself, having resigned and called the snap election on September 25 after a coalition broke down.