4 crises behind Italy’s World Cup exit

The Italian Football Federation has published a detailed report outlining the reasons behind the sharp decline in the standard of the game within the country, alongside a package of proposed solutions to rebuild the system, following the senior team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup finals for the third consecutive time.

Italian fans are in a state of shock and anger after failing to reach the 2026 World Cup, following the defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final of the first leg of the European play-offs, meaning the four-time world champions will miss the tournament for the third consecutive edition, after Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

On the administrative front, Gabriele Gravina announced his resignation as president of the Italian Football Federation on 2 April, under mounting political and media pressure. A new president is to be elected at an extraordinary meeting in the capital, Rome, on 22 June, whilst he will continue to lead the federation on an interim basis until then.

Prolonged structural crises transcends World Cup

The Italian Football Federation confirmed in its report that the country’s football problems are not new, but date back many years, with various indicators showing a worsening trend, noting that the crisis has become “structural” and requires radical solutions.

The report identified four main factors behind the decline of Italian football, as follows:

1- Declining reliance on domestic players

The report highlighted a clear decline in opportunities for Italian players within clubs, noting that:

• The average age of Serie A players is 27, one of the highest in Europe
• Foreign players account for 67.9% of playing minutes
• Only 89 Italian players out of 284 feature regularly
• The proportion of players under 21 does not exceed 1.9%
• Only two academies are among the world’s top 50 (Atalanta and Juventus)

2- Decline in technical quality

The report noted a decline in the technical quality of the Italian league, the most notable aspects of which are:

• A slower pace of play compared to the major leagues
• Lower dribbling rates
• A decline in attacking effectiveness and high pressing

3- A worsening economic crisis

The report revealed the difficult financial situation facing Italian clubs, the most notable features of which are:

• 194 clubs have been relegated since 1986 for financial reasons
• Annual losses exceeding €730 million
• Debts amounting to €5.5 billion
• Agent fees rising to over €300 million
• A large number of professional clubs (97) compared to other European leagues

4- Weak infrastructure

The report acknowledged that Italy remains outside the top 10 European countries in terms of stadium quality, due to weak government investment and a decline in sports facility development projects.

The report also highlighted regulatory and legal obstacles, notably the congested match calendar and European regulations limiting the imposition of specific quotas for domestic players, alongside the federation’s limited ability to impose direct structural reforms on clubs.

Proposed solutions to save Italian football

The Federation put forward a range of solutions, most notably:

• Tax incentives to support investment in youth and infrastructure
• Development of the youth sector and academies
• Reform of the league system
• Improvement of stadium infrastructure
• Reorganisation of the clubs’ financial system
• Reform of the refereeing system

The report concluded by emphasising that saving Italian football requires “radical and comprehensive reform”, based on unity among all parties and governmental and legislative support, placing the public interest above all other considerations.

Featured image via the Canary