Italian Football Federation president Gabriele Gravina resigned from his position on Thursday. The move came hours after Italy suffered a shocking playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The loss prevented the Azzurri from qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This marked Italy’s third straight absence from the tournament.
Gravina, who led the federation since 2018, faced intense pressure from politicians and football officials. He had initially resisted calls to leave. However he submitted his resignation on Thursday. Sources close to the federation confirmed the decision without providing further details on his immediate plans.
Italy lost to Bosnia on penalties in the playoff final. The result eliminated the four-time World Cup winners from the 2026 edition in North America. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi reacted quickly. Abodi stated that Gravina should step down because of the repeated failures. “Italian football needs a complete overhaul,” Abodi said.
The Lega party issued a strong statement. It described the elimination as “an unacceptable disgrace.” The party added that Italian football must rebuild from scratch. It called for Gravina’s resignation as the first step.
Lazio president and senator Claudio Lotito launched a petition in the Italian Senate. Lotito demanded Gravina’s exit. The petition added political weight to the growing calls for change.
Earlier, Gravina had scheduled an emergency meeting with representatives from Serie A, Serie B, Serie C, amateur leagues, coaches, and players. He planned a full Federal Council session for the following week.
During a press conference after the Bosnia match, Gravina said he understood the demands for resignations. Yet he referred decisions to the federation’s statutes and executive committee.
Gravina had also confirmed he asked coach Gennaro Gattuso and technical coordinator Gigi Buffon to stay with the national team. Despite these efforts, the backlash intensified. Politicians from various parties, including members of Premier Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, joined the criticism.
The resignation leaves the Italian Football Federation without a president. The Federal Council will now handle the transition. Observers expect the body to discuss an interim leader and possible new elections soon.
Italy last won the World Cup in 2006. The team missed the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. The latest failure deepened concerns about the state of Italian football. Federation officials have yet to announce the next steps or a timeline for appointing a successor to Gravina.
