Italy’s Sport Minister, Andrea Abodi, has called on the head of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Gabriele Gravina, to resign following the national team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
The Azzurri were eliminated in the play-offs after a penalty shoot-out against Bosnia-Herzegovina on March 31, 2026, and will miss this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Gravina, however, has refused to step down, saying a board meeting next week will determine his future.
Abodi emphasized, “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.”
The remarks come amid tension between the government and Gravina, who criticized the state for what he perceived as insufficient support for football. Gravina also described other sports as “amateur” compared to football, highlighting Italy’s success at the recent Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, where the nation won a record 30 medals, including 10 golds, and the 2024 Paris Summer Games with 40 medals.
Abodi added, “I believe it is a mistake to deny responsibility for the third missed World Cup qualification and accuse the institutions of a presumed failure while downplaying the importance and professionalism of other sports.”
Even athletes like speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida, a double Olympic gold medalist, responded sarcastically on social media to Gravina’s comments, saying, “I’m an amateur.”
The call for change underscores growing scrutiny over Italy’s football governance as the nation grapples with repeated World Cup setbacks.