Gabriele Gravina resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Thursday, two days after Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, triggering a leadership crisis that swept away Gianluigi Buffon as national team delegation chief and left coach Gennaro Gattuso's job in serious jeopardy.
Gravina, who had led the federation since 2018, stepped down under intense political pressure after Italy's 4-2 penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup qualifying playoff in Zenica on Tuesday. The defeat meant the four-time world champion will miss its third straight World Cup — following absences from the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
Italy Sports Minister Andrea Abodi had called for a complete overhaul of the country's soccer leadership, stating bluntly that "Italian soccer needs to be overhauled" and that the process "needs to start with new leadership at the FIGC."
Gianluigi Buffon, Italy's all-time appearance leader with 176 caps and the goalkeeper who lifted the World Cup in 2006, resigned as delegation chief shortly after Gravina. "It's only fair to leave to those who come after me the freedom of selecting who will replace me," Buffon said. "Representing the national team is an honor and a passion that has embodied me since I was a kid."
Gravina had taken over from Carlo Tavecchio, who also resigned after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. During his tenure, Gravina oversaw Italy's European Championship triumph in 2021 under coach Roberto Mancini, but the federation failed to build on that success, missing the 2022 World Cup and now the 2026 tournament.
Gattuso, who replaced Luciano Spalletti in June 2025 when the squad was already in crisis after a defeat to Norway in its opening qualifier, now faces likely dismissal. The Azzurri briefly rallied with six consecutive wins before losing to Norway again in November 2025, finishing second in their group and setting up the playoff heartbreak.
Among the candidates being mentioned to replace Gattuso are Mancini (who coached Italy to Euro 2021 glory before leaving for Saudi Arabia), Simone Inzaghi (currently at Saudi club Al-Hilal after winning Serie A with Inter in 2024), Antonio Conte (who coached Italy at Euro 2016 and is now at Napoli), and Massimiliano Allegri (currently at AC Milan).
An election for a new FIGC president has been called for June 22. Gravina also announced he would attend a parliamentary hearing to discuss "the wellbeing of Italian soccer."
Gravina's resignation also has implications for UEFA, where he serves as Aleksander Ceferin's first vice president. UEFA statutes require executive committee members to hold senior federation roles, but Gravina could retain his UEFA position as a lame duck unless the FIGC's new leadership demands his removal. Ceferin publicly backed Gravina, saying: "Gabriele is my first vice president and is very important to me."
Whoever replaces Gravina faces the monumental task of not only reviving the national team but also preparing Italy's aging stadium infrastructure to co-host Euro 2032 with Turkey. UEFA president Ceferin issued a stark warning: "I hope that the infrastructure is ready. Otherwise the tournament won't be played in Italy."
Players' association president Umberto Calcagno called for new regulations to promote more Italian players in Serie A, saying "a rapid change needs to be made." Italian coaches association president Renzo Ulivieri summed up the crisis: "Soccer has been in trouble since 2006."
Sources
- AP News — Andrew Dampf: Italy federation president Gravina resigns, Buffon steps down after third straight World Cup failure — [https://apnews.com/article/gattuso-gravina-italy-world-cup-dfc024759ddda518e0f0afc24ac317c9](https://apnews.com/article/gattuso-gravina-italy-world-cup-dfc024759ddda518e0f0afc24ac317c9)
