Gravina resigned as head of the Italian Football Federation

Gabriele Gravina resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation on Thursday, a direct consequence of Italy’s failure to reach a third consecutive World Cup. The Azzurri fell in the play‑offs again, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the backlash pushed the 72‑year‑old to accelerate his decision rather than wait for next week’s board meeting. An election for his successor is set for June 22, with former Olympic chief Giovanni Malagò among the early contenders.

His departure also places coach Gennaro Gattuso’s future in doubt, as Gravina had personally urged him to stay beyond his contract expiring this summer. Gravina, elected in 2018, oversaw Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph but could not survive the fallout from repeated qualification failures and a poor title defence. His position weakened further after controversial comments comparing other thriving Italian sports to “amateur” disciplines, making his resignation all but unavoidable.