Italian soccer is in crisis on and off the field, with another refereeing scandal emerging on the heels of the men’s team’s repeated failure to qualify for the World Cup. Gianluca Rocchi, the head of referees in Serie A and Serie B, has been placed under criminal investigation for alleged sports fraud and will appear … Read more
Only seven countries have ever won the men’s FIFA World Cup. Will we see one of those teams do it again this summer, or will a new nation join that elite few? On June 11, the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup — which will be broadcast on FOX Sports’ family of networks — will commence … Read more
The ultimate objective at any World Cup tournament is to lift the trophy alongside your teammates for soccer’s ultimate prize. But there are plenty of individual awards to also strive for – including the Golden Ball Award. The Golden Ball Award was officially introduced at the 1982 World Cup for the very first time, awarded … Read more
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has surprisingly stated he would allow Antonio Conte to take charge of the Italy national team if requested. However, the Napoli owner paired that admission with a scathing critique of the current state of Italian football governance. De Laurentiis willing to share head coach De Laurentiis addressed the media during … Read more
The Italian national team has been plunged further into a leadership crisis following the confirmed resignation of head coach Gennaro Gattuso. His departure completes a total collapse of the Azzurri hierarchy, following the exits of delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon and Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina after a devastating playoff defeat to Bosnia and … Read more
Italy’s soccer federation president resigned amid political pressure on Thursday, two days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. Gabriele Gravina’s decision was quickly followed by Gianluigi Buffon stepping down as the national team’s delegation chief and will likely lead to the ouster of Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, too. … Read more
One of soccer’s historic powers has reached a once-unfathomable low. Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for a third-straight World Cup after getting beat in a penalty shootout with 10 men at 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs on Tuesday. Their matchup with Bosnia and Herzegovina was a chance at redemption, but alas, … Read more
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said it is not the time to talk about his future despite the Azzurri failing to qualify for a third straight World Cup. Even if Gattuso hasn’t made up his mind whether to stay or not, the Italian soccer federation gave a clear sign it would like him to remain on … Read more
“The Italian curse continues!” That was the call from FOX Sports’ John Strong as Bosnia and Herzegovina crushed Italy’s hopes of qualifying for its first FIFA World Cup since 2014 by besting the Azzurri in a penalty shootout at Bilino Polje Stadium on Tuesday. But what is the “Italian curse” and when did it start? … Read more
The 2026 World Cup hasn’t officially kicked off yet, but Tuesday’s final qualifying matches brought us plenty of excitement and drama that made the day feel like a World Cup day. All four UEFA playoff matches were either decided by a goal or in penalty kicks. Four-time World Cup champion Italy was among the eight … Read more