Why did Italy miss the 2026 World Cup?: Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 March 2026 after a 1-1 draw in which Bastoni was sent off in the 41st minute. It is Italy's third consecutive World Cup absence — unprecedented for a four-time champion.Source: Lowdown
Who will replace Gravina as FIGC president?: An extraordinary FIGC assembly of 274 delegates is scheduled for 22 June 2026 to elect a new president. Candidates include Giovanni Malagò, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Del Piero, Demetrio Albertini, and Giancarlo Abete. Candidate declarations close 13 May.Source: Lowdown
Why are Italian electricity prices so high in 2026?: Italy's gas-dominated merit-order pricing means gas-fired peakers set day-ahead prices even on days when renewables are plentiful. The Hormuz closure and Iranian war removed Gulf LNG, amplifying Italy's structural gas exposure. Italy cleared at EUR 141.90/MWh on 15 April 2026 — the highest in the EU.Source: Lowdown / IEEFA
Why has Italy missed three consecutive World Cups?: Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 March 2026, their third consecutive World Cup absence. The FIGC's parliamentary report identified Serie A ranking 49th of 50 monitored leagues for U21 minutes as the structural cause.
Why does Italy pay so much for electricity compared to France?: Italy's power market is structurally dependent on gas-set merit-order pricing. On 15 April 2026 Italy cleared at EUR 141.90/MWh, the highest in the EU, while France cleared at EUR -43.73/MWh. The Italy-France spread reflects a constrained interconnector and Italy's inability to access France's nuclear surplus.
Who might become the new FIGC president after Gravina resigned?: Giovanni Malagò is the frontrunner, backed by 18 of 20 Serie A clubs and the AIC and AIAC player and coach associations. Giancarlo Abete confirmed he will also file his candidacy. The extraordinary assembly of 274 delegates votes on 22 June 2026.

Background

Italy missed the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 March 2026, following a 1-1 draw in which Alessandro Bastoni was sent off in the 41st minute. It is Italy's third consecutive absent tournament, a record no former world champion has matched. FIGC president Gabriele Gravina resigned on 2 April; coach Gennaro Gattuso and delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon resigned on 3 April. An extraordinary FIGC assembly of 274 delegates is scheduled for 22 June 2026 to elect a new president. UEFA president Ceferin threatened to strip Italy of its Euro 2032 co-hosting rights if stadium infrastructure is not upgraded. Gravina's parliamentary report found Serie A ranks 49th of 50 monitored leagues for U21 minutes, with foreign players holding 67.9% of all Serie A minutes.

On energy, Italy cleared at EUR 141.90/MWh in day-ahead power on 15 April 2026 — the highest in the EU on that day — as its structural dependence on gas-set merit-order pricing made it the most vulnerable to low-wind spikes. The Italy-Spain spread compressed from EUR 104 on 13 April to EUR 70 on 15 April. Italy's finance minister co-signed the joint letter to EU Climate Commissioner Hoekstra on 4 April calling for an EU-wide windfall contribution on energy company profits. PM Meloni also visited the Gulf on 3-4 April — the first EU leader to do so after the Iran war started — and received news of 10 LNG cargoes being cut, with Italian airports rationing jet fuel by 7 April.

Italy's concurrent governance and energy crises illustrate a structural pattern: the country's football and industrial institutions both rely heavily on reform processes that stall in the face of competing political interests. On STR regulation, Italy is one of five EU member states with a functioning national Single Digital Entry Point ahead of the 20 May 2026 EU Regulation 2024/1028 deadline, operating its CIN (Codice Identificativo Nazionale) registration framework nationally.