Gabriele Gravina has resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation after Italy national football team failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the third consecutive time.
According to Naija News, Gravina announced his resignation during an emergency FIGC general council meeting convened just hours after Italy’s playoff final defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team on penalties on Tuesday, March 31. A new president is expected to be elected on June 22.
The emergency meeting brought together key stakeholders in Italian football, including representatives from professional leagues, the amateur division, players, and coaches.
Gravina had been in charge since October 2018. During his tenure, Italy won UEFA Euro 2020 but failed to secure qualification for the 2022 and 2026 World Cups. The team had also missed out on the 2018 edition prior to his appointment.
He was responsible for appointing Luciano Spalletti and Gennaro Gattuso as national team coaches in 2023 and 2025 respectively.
Calls for his resignation had grown louder in recent days, with fans and top football figures demanding reforms after the latest disappointment.
Italy’s Sports Minister, Andrea Abodi, stated on Wednesday that it is clear Italian football requires a rebuild, beginning with new leadership at the federation.
Meanwhile, there are ongoing speculations that Gattuso and his coaching staff could also be dismissed following the team’s World Cup qualification failure.