FIGC president Gravina quits after Italy miss third straight World Cup as Buffon resigns

Gabriele Gravina has resigned as president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, extending the Azzurri’s absence from the tournament to three consecutive editions.Italy lost a World Cup play-off final to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday, drawing further scrutiny of the federation’s leadership and the wider health of the men’s national team programme.Gravina, 72, announced his decision after a meeting at the FIGC headquarters in Rome and will remain under focus given his senior UEFA role as the governing body’s first vice-president.Gravina took office in October 2018, replacing Carlo Tavecchio after Italy missed the 2018 World Cup, and he oversaw the high point of Euro 2020 success while failing to reverse a downward World Cup trajectory.Gianluigi Buffon, who had been working closely with the senior men’s team as delegation head, also resigned, saying the leadership change made it necessary for him to step aside as well.Buffon said: “The main objective was to bring Italy back to the World Cup. And we didn't succeed. It's fair to leave it to those who will come after the freedom to choose the figure they think is best to play my role.”The leadership reset is expected to spill into the coaching set-up, with Gravina’s resignation increasing pressure on Gennaro Gattuso after the team’s latest qualifying collapse.Gattuso took over after Luciano Spalletti was dismissed, with the squad already in crisis mode following an early qualifying defeat at Norway, and reports in Italy have already linked several high-profile candidates to the role.The FIGC said an election to appoint a new president will be held on June 22, a process that will shape not only the national team’s rebuild but also wider policy debates around player development and Serie A roster composition.Italian coaching and player representatives used the latest failure to call for structural change, arguing that the talent pipeline and incentives for clubs to field Italian players need urgent review.Whoever replaces Gravina will also inherit a politically sensitive infrastructure file with direct implications for Italy’s ability to deliver its share of Euro 2032.UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has warned that Italy must demonstrate credible progress on stadium modernisation, with the federation required to propose five venues by October as part of tournament planning.Ceferin said: “I hope that the infrastructure is ready. Otherwise the tournament won’t be played in Italy.”The combined impact of a federation leadership vacuum, a likely coaching decision and renewed stadium pressure raises the stakes for Italian football’s governance at a time when international stakeholders expect clearer delivery against agreed tournament timelines.