Emergency Meeting Sparks Talk of Italian Federation Chief's Resignation

Overview

Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation, will hold an emergency meeting today, with expectations that he will resign after failing to qualify for the World Cup.

Italy lost on penalties on Bosnian soil on Tuesday in the World Cup playoff final, failing to reach the World Cup for the third time in a row.

What could follow

Following this failure, the Italian federation and the Azzurri are set to implement far-reaching changes, potentially extending Gravina’s tenure if the report from Football Italia is correct.

It is also anticipated that head coach Gennaro Gattuso may depart, as could team manager Gianluigi Buffon, who has been part of the leadership since summer 2023.

Attending the meeting will be leaders from the Italian leagues and the players’ and coaches’ associations, including the heads of Serie A, Serie B and Serie C, and senior federation officials from across Italy.

Read also: Major hurdle—two experts tipped as candidates to replace Gattuso after Italy’s disaster.

Punchlines: If Italian football were math, we’d still be calculating penalties. Meanwhile, the only thing offside tonight is my coffee.