Italian soccer federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina resigned on Thursday, in the wake of the national team’s failure to qualify for a third straight World Cup.

Gravina, in charge of the FIGC since 2018, had ​been urged by the government to step down after Italy’s defeat on penalties in the playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.

The federation will hold an ‌extraordinary assembly on June 22 to elect a new chief, while Gravina offered to appear before a parliamentary committee on April 8 “to report on the state of health of Italian soccer”, a statement said.

That hearing has now been cancelled, as the committee awaits the election outcome.

The Italian soccer team last qualified for the World Cup in 2014 and has won only one match at the finals since lifting the trophy for ​the fourth time in 2006.

Former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, national team delegation head, has also announced his resignation via social media.

Gravina was elected unopposed in October 2018, the ​72-year-old replacing Carlo Tavecchio who resigned a week after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

“After many years there is a ⁠feeling of great bitterness, but great serenity,” Gravina told reporters.

“I must thank all the federal components who today have shown me great affection, support and closeness today, also insisting that ​I continue, but my personal choice was made with conviction and careful consideration.”

While Gravina’s term included the Euro 2020 triumph, it also involved another two World Cup qualification failures and his ​position had become increasingly untenable after much criticism from Italian media and senior political figures.

Italy’s Sports Minister Andrea Abodi described Italy’s latest failure as a “definitive defeat” and suggested that Italian football needs to be “rebuilt from the ground up”.

Gravina spoke immediately after the loss to Bosnia, saying he understood the request for resignation but that there was a suitable place to make evaluations.

That place was the FIGC headquarters in Rome, ​where Gravina met with the six federal components – Serie A, B and C, National Amateur League, Players’ Association and Coaches Association – and informed them of his decision at the start ​of the meeting.

Gravina was re-elected in February 2021, and again in February 2025 with his mandate due to end in 2028, but the search now begins for his successor.

Names already being mentioned include 67-year-old ‌former head ⁠of Italy’s Olympic Committee (CONI) Giovanni Malago and previous FIGC president Giancarlo Abete. Abete, 75, held the role from 2007 to 2014.

BUFFON BOWS OUT

Buffon, former Italy goalkeeper and part of the 2006 World Cup-winning side, wrote on Instagram that he had initially offered his resignation immediately after the loss to Bosnia, but had been asked to take time to reflect.

“Now that president Gravina has chosen to take a step back, I feel free to do what I feel is an act of responsibility,” Buffon wrote.

“Because, even in the sincere conviction that I have built ​so much on a spirit and group level ​with Rino Gattuso and all the ⁠collaborators, in a very short time at the disposal of the national team, the main objective was to bring Italy back to the World Cup.

“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.”

SOCIAL MEDIA STORM

Gravina had also come in for heavy criticism for comments he made after the Bosnia ​defeat, when asked why ⁠Italy excelled in other disciplines but not in football.

In his response, Gravina said that football is a professional sport, while the others are amateur, which caused outrage, with many Italian athletes taking to social media.

Irma Testa, the first female boxer to represent Italy at the Olympics and bronze medallist in 2020, wrote on Instagram that ‘we are the real professionals’ and the FIGC statement on Thursday ⁠said that ​Gravina expressed regret over the interpretation of his remarks.

Gravina explained that his comments referred to the presence within ​some federations of leagues with their own autonomy and the corporate nature of professional clubs which must comply with national and international legislation.

After Gravina and Buffon’s resignations, Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso’s position is also under question, with his ​contract ending in June. Media reports have linked Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri as possible replacements.

-Reuters

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As anticipation builds for the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, a less visible but deeply consequential issue is casting a shadow over many participating nations—particularly from Africa and other developing regions.

Unlike previous tournaments, several of these countries are bracing for significant financial strain due to tax obligations in the United States, raising concerns that participation in football’s biggest spectacle could come at a high economic cost.

According to an investigation conducted by the UK publication, The Guardian, at the centre of the issue is the inability of FIFA to secure a blanket tax exemption agreement with the U.S. government for all participating nations. While FIFA itself enjoys tax-free status in the United States—a privilege dating back to the 1994 World Cup—this exemption does not extend to the 48 national associations competing this summer.

Unequal Playing Field Off the Pitch

The result is a stark imbalance. Only 18 of the qualified countries have double taxation agreements (DTAs) with the United States, shielding them from federal taxes. The majority of these are European nations, alongside a handful of others such as Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Mexico.

For African teams without such agreements, including several debutants and smaller footballing nations, the financial implications could be severe. Countries like Haiti and Cape Verde, for instance, face the prospect of higher tax liabilities than traditional powers such as England or France, whose federations are protected by DTAs.

This disparity effectively creates a two-tier system—one where wealthier and more diplomatically connected nations incur lower operational costs, while less-developed football associations shoulder heavier financial burdens.

Development Funds at Risk

Tax experts warn that the consequences could extend far beyond the tournament itself. Oriana Morrison, a consultant who has advised several football federations, noted that the funds lost to taxation could have otherwise been reinvested in grassroots football development.

For many African federations, World Cup participation is not just about prestige but also about economic opportunity. Prize money and associated revenues often fund infrastructure, youth programmes and domestic leagues. However, with U.S. federal corporate tax set at 21% and top income tax rates reaching 37%, a significant portion of these earnings may be absorbed before they reach home federations.

Players and Coaches Also Affected

Even for countries with DTAs, relief is partial. Under U.S. law, athletes and coaches must still pay taxes on income earned while performing in the country. This means high-profile figures such as Carlo Ancelotti, currently managing Brazil, could face dual taxation—both in Brazil and the United States.

In contrast, managers like Thomas Tuchel of England benefit from more favourable arrangements, paying taxes only in their home country due to existing agreements.

While wealthier federations may absorb these additional costs, smaller associations—many of them from Africa—are unlikely to have such financial flexibility.

Rising Costs, Shrinking Support

Compounding the issue is FIFA’s fixed operational budget of $1.5 million per team, despite rising travel and accommodation costs in the United States. The daily allowance for delegation members has also been reduced from $850 at Qatar 2022 to $600 for 2026.

This stands in sharp contrast to the previous World Cup in Qatar, where all 32 participating nations were granted full tax exemptions by the host government, significantly easing financial pressure.

Geography Adds Another Layer

The tax burden is further complicated by variations across U.S. states. While Florida—host to matches in Miami—has no state tax, other venues come with steep rates. New Jersey, where the final will be held at MetLife Stadium, imposes a 10.75% state tax, while California, host to games in Los Angeles and San Francisco, has rates as high as 13.3%.

Canada and Mexico, the co-hosts, have offered full tax exemptions, meaning teams playing group matches there could avoid some of the financial strain.

A Tournament of Opportunity—Or Inequality?

For African teams, the expanded World Cup was meant to be a gateway to greater representation and opportunity on the global stage. However, the emerging tax realities threaten to dilute those gains.

With FIFA reportedly working behind the scenes to provide guidance and support, the broader concern remains unresolved: that the financial rewards of World Cup participation may not be evenly shared.

For many of Africa’s representatives, the challenge in 2026 will not only be to compete on the pitch—but to navigate an off-field financial landscape that could significantly impact the future of their football development.

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As was the case in the build-up to the Qatar 2022 tournament, Portugal will once again use Nigeria’s Super Eagles as their final preparatory opponents ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Portuguese Football Federation has confirmed that both teams will clash on June 10, in what will serve as the Seleção’s last warm-up fixture before the Mundial kicks off on June 11 across Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Four years ago, Portugal rounded off their preparations with a dominant 4-0 victory over Nigeria in Lisbon in November 2022, and history now repeats itself with a similar pre-tournament arrangement.

Although the federation has yet to officially announce the venue, reports in Portuguese media indicate that the match will be staged in Leiria.

The Nigeria encounter will follow another friendly against Chile scheduled for June 6 at the National Stadium in Oeiras, as part of Portugal’s carefully structured build-up programme.

For Nigeria, who failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, the fixture presents another high-profile international test, even as they once again play the role of Portugal’s final opponents before a major tournament.

Portugal head into the game on the back of mixed results in recent friendlies, having drawn 0-0 with co-hosts Mexico at the reopening of the Azteca Stadium, before recording a 2-0 win over the United States in Atlanta.

The Europeans will open their World Cup campaign in Group K against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 17 in Houston. They will then face Uzbekistan on June 23, also in Houston, before rounding off their group stage fixtures against Colombia in Miami on June 27.

While the match offers Nigeria another opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition, it represents Portugal’s final chance to fine-tune tactics, sharpen cohesion and settle selection decisions ahead of the global showpiece.

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