Italian FA head and Buffon quit over World Cup failure
Why it matters: Italy faces losing its Euro 2032 co-hosting rights if it fails to upgrade its football infrastructure by October.
- Gabriele Gravina, head of the Italian FA (FIGC), resigned after Italy's 4-1 penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina, marking their third consecutive World Cup absence.
- Gianluigi Buffon, delegation head and 2006 World Cup winner, also resigned via Instagram, stating his departure was an "act of responsibility" given Gravina's decision.
- Italy became the first previous World Cup winner to miss three consecutive tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026), despite winning Euro 2020 under Gravina's tenure.
- UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin warned that Italy risks losing its co-hosting role for Euro 2032 with Turkey unless it upgrades its football infrastructure and proposes five suitable stadiums by October.
- The FIGC will hold a vote to elect a new president on June 22, with Giovanni Malago, former head of the Italian Olympic Committee, among the leading candidates.
Following Italy's unprecedented failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, Italian FA head Gabriele Gravina and legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon have resigned, citing responsibility for the missed objective. This leadership vacuum comes as UEFA warns Italy could lose its co-hosting rights for Euro 2032 if it doesn't upgrade its outdated football infrastructure by October.
