Italian FA President Steps Down Following Another World Cup Qualification Failure

Gravina arrived at the FIGC headquarters in Rome in the morning, and by the early afternoon, an important meeting was held with the board.

This gathering, which was initially intended to assess the team’s loss against Bosnia, escalated into a critical conversation regarding the future of the federation’s presidency.

During the meeting, Gravina addressed the presidents of Serie A, Serie B, and Lega Pro, officially announcing his decision to resign.

This move effectively concludes his tenure, which began in 2018, and paves the way for a new chapter in the management of Italian football.

The federal council meeting scheduled for the following week has been cancelled, with elections for a new leadership to take place on 22 June in Rome.

Official FIGC Statement

Today, a meeting was convened at the FIGC headquarters in Rome, featuring President Gabriele Gravina alongside the heads of various federation branches. At the meeting’s outset, Gravina informed the leading representatives from Serie A, Ezio Maria Simonelli; Serie B, Paolo Bedin; Lega Pro, Matteo Marani; National Amateur League, Giancarlo Abete; the Italian Footballers’ Association, Umberto Calcagno; and the Italian Football Coaches’ Association, Renzo Ulivieri, of his resignation from the position he has held since February 2025. He also announced the Extraordinary Elective Assembly of the FIGC, set for 22 June in Rome. This date has been established in adherence to the federation’s statutes, allowing for new governance to complete the required registration processes for upcoming professional championships.

“During the meeting, Gravina expressed gratitude to the federation’s bodies for their public and private displays of support, and informed the presidents of his intention to appear before the VII Committee on Culture, Science, and Education of the Chamber of Deputies on 8 April at 11:00 CEST to discuss the state of Italian football.”

“It is during this session that President Gravina aims to present a thorough report highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the sport, addressing some of the issues already mentioned in the press conference following the national team’s match in Zenica on 31 March. In this context, Gravina expressed regret over misinterpretations of his comments regarding the differences between amateur and professional sports, clarifying that they were never intended to offend any discipline. He explained that his remarks referred to the varying internal and external regulations, including the presence of leagues with their own autonomy within certain federations and the corporate nature of professional clubs, which must adhere to national and international laws, unlike amateur clubs.”