World Cup Failure: Italy Sports Minister Demands Federation Chief Quit

Pressure is mounting on the leadership of Italian football following the national team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi calling for a shake-up at the top of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

Italy was eliminated from the play-offs on Tuesday after losing a penalty shoot-out to Bosnia and Herzegovina, confirming the team will miss this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In a firm statement, Abodi urged FIGC President Gabriele Gravina to step down. “It is clear that Italian football needs to be rebuilt from the ground up, starting with leadership changes at the FIGC,” he said.

Gravina, however, has insisted he will not resign, though a board meeting next week is expected to address his future. The controversy has highlighted growing tensions between football authorities and the government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Following the defeat, Gravina criticized what he described as insufficient institutional support for football and characterized other sports as “amateur” or “state sports,” referencing the system in which many athletes are employed by the armed forces or police. His remarks prompted widespread backlash across Italy’s sporting community.

Italy recently celebrated notable achievements at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, where it won 30 medals, including 10 golds, and secured 40 medals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Abodi countered Gravina’s claims, arguing that it was inappropriate to deflect responsibility for the third missed World Cup qualification while diminishing the value and professionalism of other sports. Tennis star Jannik Sinner and Olympic speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida were cited as examples of Italy’s strengths outside football, with Lollobrigida responding online to Gravina’s comments with a sarcastic remark: “I’m an amateur.”

According to Ireporter Online, the debate underscores the growing scrutiny over the direction of Italian football and its leadership amid the nation’s broader sporting successes.