Gabriele Gravina

Gabriele Gravina, the 72-year-old president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), resigned from his position in April 2026. He had been in charge since October 2018. His resignation followed Italy's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, marking the third consecutive time the nation has missed the tournament. The defeat against Bosnia in the qualifying stages triggered widespread criticism and political pressure. Gianluigi Buffon also resigned from his role as head of the national team delegation. The Italian Minister of Sports, Andrea Abodi, publicly called for Gravina's resignation, echoing sentiments from other political figures and parties who believed a fundamental restructuring of Italian football was necessary. The absence from the World Cup has deeply affected a generation of Italian fans who have never seen their national team participate in the tournament.