Home / Football / Internationals News Italian FA chief resigns after World Cup heartbreak The Azzuri are missing out on a third consecutive World Cup Written by Mitch Fretton Last Update: April 2, 2026 03:31:33 pm BST 2 min read Gabriele Gravina has stepped down as president of the Italian Football Federation following Italys failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. The 72-year-old confirmed his resignation after a meeting at the federations headquarters in Rome, bringing an end to mounting pressure after another play-off disappointment. Italy were eliminated on penalties by Bosnia and Herzegovina, meaning they will miss this summers tournament in North America.Gravina had initially planned to wait until a scheduled board meeting to decide his future, but the scale of the setback accelerated his departure.The FIGC has confirmed that a new presidential election will take place in June, with Giovanni Malago among the potential candidates to take over.Gattuso to follow?His exit could also have implications for the national team setup. Head coach Gennaro Gattuso, whose current deal runs until the summer, had previously been backed by Gravina and may now face uncertainty over his own position.Gravina had been in charge since 2018, taking over on a permanent basis after Carlo Tavecchio resigned in the aftermath of Italys play-off defeat to Sweden.During his tenure, the standout achievement came at Euro 2020, when Italy, managed by Roberto Mancini, won the competition after defeating England at Wembley.However, repeated failures to reach the World Cup and a disappointing European Championship defence ultimately undermined his position.Gravina also drew criticism for recent comments comparing football to other sports in Italy, despite the nations success across multiple disciplines, including strong medal hauls at both Winter and Summer Olympic Games. Topics: FIFA World Cup Italy National Football Team Follow us: Mitch Fretton Reporter Mitch is a freelance sports journalist with experience working for LiveScore, GOAL and Colchester United. He has experience working from both his desk at home and in the press box at games covering the Champions League and international football. Read more from Mitch Fretton
