Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina resigns
Gabriele Gravina has resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). The announcement was made during a press conference on Thursday, just two days after Italy's shock elimination from international competition by Bosnia and Herzegovina. Gravina had held the position since October 2018.
His resignation comes at a turbulent time for Italian football, with the national team's recent failure serving as a catalyst for the decision. Gravina will now appear before the Culture, Science and Education Commission of the Chamber of Deputies on April 8 to deliver a report on the state of Italian football. His successor is scheduled to be elected on June 22.
The outgoing president also addressed a recent controversy stemming from comments he made about Italian athletes. Gravina had stated that the sportspeople who brought glory to Italy in recent years were "all civil servants, except for Arianna Fontana," a reference to the champion short track speed skater. In a subsequent statement, Gravina expressed his regrets, clarifying that his remarks were not intended to disparage any sport but rather to highlight differing regulatory frameworks.
Gravina's tenure spanned a period of significant highs and lows for Italian football. His presidency oversaw Italy's triumphant victory at the 2020 European Championship, a crowning achievement that ended a long trophy drought for the Azzurri. However, that success was bookended by the profound failure to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, a source of national anguish. The latest setback against Bosnia has reignited deep-seated concerns about the direction and health of the sport in the country.
The search for a new FIGC president will now begin in earnest, with the election process set to unfold over the coming months. The role is one of the most influential in European football, governing not only the national team but also the professional leagues and the broader footballing infrastructure in Italy. The incoming president will inherit the immediate task of steering the federation through a period of introspection and planning for the 2026 World Cup cycle.
This leadership change adds another layer of uncertainty to Italian football's current landscape, which is also grappling with club financial sustainability and stadium modernization issues. The federation's next head will be tasked with restoring confidence and building a cohesive strategy for the future at all levels of the game.
