Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina has stepped down following the national team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup for a third consecutive time.
Gravina, who had led the federation since 2018, came under intense pressure after Italy lost on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a playoff on Tuesday, a result that sealed their absence from the tournament.
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi had openly called for his resignation, stressing the need for sweeping changes within Italian football. “It’s clear that Italian football needs to be rebuilt from the ground up and that starts with changes at the top of the FIGC,” he said.
Although Gravina initially insisted he would not resign and indicated that a board meeting would determine his fate, he ultimately chose to step aside amid mounting criticism and calls for reform.
