Gabriele Gravina resigns as FIGC president after Italy miss 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Gabriele Gravina has stepped down as president of the Italian Football Federation two days after Italy failed to reach the 2026 World Cup, their third consecutive absence.

The federation announced that it had formalised the move and set an elective extraordinary assembly for 22 June in Rome, with Gravina’s current mandate having begun in February 2025.

Gravina, 72, had led the FIGC since October 2018 and is UEFA’s first vice-president, an ally of Aleksander Ceferin. Under his watch Italy won Euro 2021, failed to reach the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, and went out in the last 16 at Euro 2024.

Pressure intensified after Tuesday’s European play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which finished 1-1 after extra time before a 4-1 defeat on penalties. He initially convened a federal council to review his tenure, but sports minister Andrea Abodi swiftly called for his departure, arguing the game needed leadership renewal.

Gravina had succeeded Carlo Tavecchio following the 2018 World Cup failure, with Tavecchio having replaced Giancarlo Abete after the 2014 group-stage exit. Giovanni Malagò, the former Italian Olympic Committee chief and head of the Milan Cortina 2026 organising committee, has been widely mentioned as a potential successor.

Shortly after Gravina stepped down, Gianluigi Buffon left his role as the national team’s general manager. Head coach Gennaro Gattuso was appointed in June 2025.

Source: Le Progres