What Happened to Italian Football?

Italian football has experienced a period of significant contrasts and introspection leading up to August 2026. Domestically, Serie A remains a highly competitive and popular league. The 2025-2026 season saw Inter Milan clinch their 21st Scudetto, showcasing continued strength at the top level of Italian club football. For the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League, Italy will be represented by four teams: Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, and notably, Como, whose rapid ascent from promotion in 2024 to a fourth-place finish in 2025-2026 has been a remarkable story. AC Milan and Juventus are set to compete in the Europa League, indicating a strong presence of Italian clubs in European competitions.

However, the national team, the Azzurri, has faced profound challenges. Following their triumph at Euro 2020 (played in 2021), Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and, devastatingly, also missed out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign saw them finish second in Group I behind Norway and subsequently lose to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a playoff match in March 2026, marking their third consecutive absence from the global tournament. This repeated failure has triggered widespread concern and a renewed focus on the structural issues within Italian football, particularly regarding youth development.

Financially, Serie A achieved a milestone in 2024/25, with aggregate annual revenue surpassing €4 billion for the first time, reaching €4.038 billion. This growth, however, has not translated into consistent profitability, as the league recorded an aggregate net loss of €348.9 million in the same period. Over the three seasons affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Italian professional clubs accumulated combined losses of €3.6 billion, and the sport continues to lose over €730 million annually. The value of Serie A's new domestic broadcast rights deals for 2024/25 also saw a slight decrease of approximately 3%, hindering revenue growth compared to other major European leagues. High labour costs and increasing agent fees further exacerbate these financial pressures.

In response to these challenges, particularly the national team's struggles, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has initiated significant reforms. In March 2026, the FIGC launched a new “Technical project for Italian football” aimed at enhancing youth development and fostering greater coordination across coaching, youth, and national team setups. This initiative seeks to address the narrowing pathway for U21 players into Serie A, despite Italy's continued ability to produce a sufficient talent pool, as evidenced by their victory in the 2026 U17 EUROs. The resignation of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and the subsequent search for a new national team coach in mid-2026 underscore the urgency of these reforms.

As of August 2026, Italian football is at a critical juncture. While its club competitions demonstrate resilience and European competitiveness, the national team's repeated World Cup failures highlight systemic issues that require comprehensive and sustained solutions. The focus on youth development, financial sustainability, and structural reform will be crucial in determining the future trajectory of the sport in Italy. The retirement of iconic striker Ciro Immobile in August 2026 also marks the end of an era, symbolizing a period of transition for Italian football.