Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina Resigns Following Failure to Qualify for 2026 World Cup
Gabriele Gravina, the President of the Italian Football Federation, has announced his resignation following the national team's disappointing performance in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. This decision was confirmed in an official statement released by the Federation after Gravina's meeting with organizational representatives.
Gabriele Gravina, who has held the presidency since 2018, revealed his decision during a meeting where it was also decided to convene an extraordinary electoral assembly. The election of a new president for the Italian Football Federation is scheduled for June 22 in Rome, highlighting the urgency for changes in the organization’s leadership.
This resignation comes on the heels of a shocking defeat for the Italian national team against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoff final for World Cup qualification. This loss means that Italy will miss the World Cup for the third consecutive time, a significant blow for a footballing nation with a rich history of success in the sport.
The last time the Italian national team participated in the World Cup was in 2014, when the team, under the management of Cesare Prandelli, failed to advance beyond the group stage. Since then, Italy has not appeared in the World Cup, and the last time the team achieved success in this tournament was in 2006, when they clinched the World Cup title.
The Italian national team boasts four World Cup titles, won in 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. Only the Brazilian national team has more titles, having won the World Cup five times. However, Italy's recent failures on the international stage have raised concerns among fans and experts alike.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the Italian team has set a unique negative record by becoming the first team to miss three consecutive World Cups. This has sparked outrage within the football community, and UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin did not shy away from addressing those responsible for Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
According to media reports, following the failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Italian national team head coach Gennaro Gattuso is likely to leave his position. Among the potential candidates to take over as the new coach of the Italian team are Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, who currently manage Napoli and AC Milan, respectively. These changes in the team's leadership could be a crucial step towards restoring the success of Italian football on the international stage.