By Ayomide Otitoju
The head of Italy’s football federation, Gabriele Gravina, has resigned following the national team’s failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a third consecutive time.
Gravina announced his decision after a meeting at the federation’s headquarters in Rome, a day after Sports Minister Andrea Abodi publicly called for his resignation.
Four-time world champions Italy were eliminated in the play-offs after losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina, extending a run of disappointing results that will see the team miss the upcoming tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The setback has intensified pressure on the leadership of the Italian Football Federation, prompting Gravina, 72, to step down ahead of a scheduled board meeting.
The fallout is expected to widen, with head coach Gennaro Gattuso also anticipated to resign. Meanwhile, former goalkeeper and current general manager Gianluigi Buffon has already announced his departure.
Italy’s absence from the expanded 48-team World Cup has triggered calls for sweeping reforms. Abodi said the situation underscored the need to rebuild Italian football “from the ground up,” starting with leadership changes.
Gravina, who took office in 2018 following the resignation of Carlo Tavecchio, oversaw Italy’s triumph at UEFA Euro 2020 under coach Roberto Mancini. However, subsequent failures in World Cup qualification and a poor European title defence eroded confidence in his leadership.
Attention has also turned to broader structural challenges, including underperforming domestic clubs and outdated infrastructure. Aleksander Ceferin warned that Italy could lose hosting rights for UEFA Euro 2032, which it is due to co-host with Turkey, if stadium upgrades are not completed.
Despite football’s struggles, Italy continues to excel in other sports, highlighted by strong performances at recent Olympic Games and the rise of tennis star Jannik Sinner.
Gravina’s resignation marks a significant moment for Italian football as it faces mounting pressure to address deep-rooted challenges and restore its global standing.
