Italy’s Sports Minister Calls for Football Chief to Step Down After World Cup Disaster
Italy’s Sports Minister, Andrea Abodi, on Wednesday called for the head of the country’s football federation to step down following the national team’s failure to qualify for a third straight World Cup.
The Azzurri were eliminated in the play-offs once again, this time losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday. As a result, Italy will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Gabriele Gravina, has said he will not resign. However, a board meeting next week is expected to determine whether he remains in office.
“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,” Abodi said in a statement.
Gravina has led the federation since 2018, when he replaced Carlo Tavecchio following Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after a play-off defeat to Sweden.
A FIGC source confirmed to AFP that Gravina will meet on Thursday with the heads of Italy’s three professional divisions, as well as representatives of players and referees.
Public frustration has also grown, with some fans throwing eggs at the federation’s headquarters in Rome.
Abodi’s remarks come amid growing tension between the Italian government and Gravina. Following Italy’s defeat, the FIGC president criticised what he described as a lack of support from state institutions.
Gravina himself acknowledged that Italian football is “in a profound crisis.”
“It is a crisis that requires serious reflection, not only from the FIGC but also from politicians who have focused solely on calls for resignations,” he said.