Common Questions

Why did Gravina resign as FIGC president?

Gravina resigned on 2 April 2026 after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina, missing the World Cup for a third consecutive time. Sports Minister Abodi, senator Lotito, and Lega Calcio had all demanded his exit.Source: FIGC / media reports

What was in Gravina's parliamentary report on Italian football?

His 8 April written report showed Serie A ranks 49th of 50 leagues for U21 minutes (1.9%), with foreign players holding 67.9% of all minutes. Ball speed was 7.6 m/s vs 10.4 m/s in the Champions League.Source: FIGC written report

Who will replace Gravina as FIGC president?

The race includes Giovanni Malagò, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Del Piero, and Demetrio Albertini. Candidates declare by 13 May; election is 22 June 2026.Source: La Stampa / FIGC

Background

Gabriele Gravina resigned as president of the FIGC on 2 April 2026, three days after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their World Cup playoff, making them the first former champion to miss three consecutive World Cup tournaments. He had resisted simultaneous pressure from Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, senator Claudio Lotito, and Lega Calcio but stepped down after a Rome board meeting . His departure ended an eight-year tenure during which Italy won Euro 2020 but failed to qualify for both the 2022 and 2026 World Cups.

In lieu of a parliamentary hearing, Gravina submitted a written report on 8 April 2026 providing the most quantitative diagnosis of Italian football's structural decline yet published: Serie A ranks 49th of 50 monitored leagues for minutes given to U21 players at just 1.9%; foreign players hold 67.9% of all Serie A minutes; and manager Gennaro Gattuso completed fewer than 15 training sessions across ten months before the Bosnia defeat . He retained his UEFA vice-presidency at the time of his FIGC exit. The report became the evidence base for the reform debate his departure opened .

Giovanni Malagò was elected FIGC president on 22 June 2026, succeeding Gravina and taking charge of the federation's reconstruction ahead of Italy's campaign for Euro 2028 qualification. Italy have not appeared at a World Cup since 2014, a gap now extending to at least 2030. Gravina's legacy is a decade that combined one of Italy's greatest international triumphs with an historically unprecedented qualification collapse, and a data report that will frame Italian football governance for years.