The Italian Football Federation is looking at major reforms to revive the country’s struggling football system after a historic slump in performance. Outgoing chief Gabriele Gravina, who resigned on April 2, has proposed a series of measures aimed at addressing the crisis. The move comes after the Italian national football team failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the third consecutive time. Gravina said the repeated failures are not due to short-term mistakes but deeper structural problems within Italian football. The situation has led to strong criticism of the overall system and raised concerns about the future of the sport in the country.
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Focus on youth development and infrastructure
One of the key proposals is to divert part of the revenue generated from sports betting into football development. The idea is to invest these funds into grassroots programmes, youth academies and training systems. Gravina also stressed the need for better infrastructure, including building new stadiums and upgrading existing ones. He believes these steps are essential to improve the quality of football and support long-term growth. Another major suggestion is to reconsider the ban on betting advertising and sponsorships that was introduced in 2018 to control gambling addiction. The proposal argues that easing these restrictions could help bring in more financial support for the sport.
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Roadmap for rebuilding Italian football
The proposals aim to create a clear path for rebuilding Italian football from the ground up. By focusing on young talent and improving facilities, the federation hopes to fix long-standing issues that have affected performance at the highest level. While the ideas have sparked debate, they underline the urgency of reform as Italy looks to recover from one of the lowest points in its football history.
