Italian football is experiencing a significant crisis following the failure of its clubs in European competitions and the national team's continued absence from the World Cup.
Gianluca Rocchi steps aside amid a Serie A fraud probe, with VAR official Andrea Gervasoni also under investigation, raising fears of another Calciopoli-style crisis.
Former AC Milan and Italy defender Franco Baresi, one of the most recognisable players of the golden era of Italian football in the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 66, his former club said on Friday.
The Italian Football Federation has appointed legendary former captain Paolo Maldini as its new Technical Director, aiming to leverage his experience to revitalise the national team's international standing after recent World Cup qualification struggles.
Andrea Pirlo's potential appointment as Italy's head coach is facing significant political opposition due to his commercial ties as a global ambassador for Russian betting company Fonbet, with Italian parliamentarians and football federation figures expressing concerns.
Former Manchester City and Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has turned down the opportunity to coach the Italy national team, a source familiar with the discussions said on Friday, confirming media reports.
Italian Football federation chief Gabriele Gravina resigned on Thursday, after the national team failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third time in a row.
Brazil football icon Ronaldinho has arrived in Italy after joining Serie C club Ravenna FC, where he has also taken a stake. While his last competitive match was in 2015.
Andrea Pirlo, a 2006 World Cup winner and former Juventus manager, has reportedly been appointed as the new head coach of the Italian national football team on a four-year deal.
Former Italy international Andrea Pirlo has withdrawn from contention for the national team's head coach position after his commercial ties to Russian betting company Fonbet drew significant criticism and opposition from Italian football officials and lawmakers.
Football legend Ronaldinho has come out of retirement at 46 to sign with Italian Serie C club Ravenna FC.
Italy's consistent failure to qualify for recent World Cups stems from a deep-seated issue in nurturing young football talent, according to 2006 World Cup winners Marco Amelia and Massimo Oddo.
As the sport's popularity spread across the world, it developed its own colourful language/expressions. From clever slang to bizarre nicknames, the game's changing culture has thrown up some rather unusual turn of phrase. Here are 8 of the strangest football terms ever used.
Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was named Best Player at the Italian Football Oscars on Monday.
Italy's technical director Paolo Maldini revealed that the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) first approached Carlo Ancelotti for the national team coaching job before engaging with Pep Guardiola, as they seek to rebuild the Azzurri after failing to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
Roberto Mancini has returned for a second spell as Italy coach, vowing to revive the Azzurri's fortunes after the nation missed the last three World Cups and failed to win a major trophy since Euro 2020 under his previous leadership.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign, accusing the global governing body of 'destroying the football industry' through the expansion of international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues and clubs. Tebas also criticised the handling of a US player's ban and the proposed expansion of the men's World Cup.
Italian second-tier soccer club Venezia has secured a significant minority investment from sports industry heavyweight Tim Leiweke, thanks in part to Canadian rapper Drake.
Former Italy manager Roberto Mancini is set to return for a second spell as the national team coach, replacing Gennaro Gattuso, who departed after Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
Fans, former teammates, and opponents gathered in Milan to bid farewell to Franco Baresi, the iconic AC Milan and Italy defender who passed away at 66. Baresi, a legendary figure in Italian football, was remembered for his illustrious 20-year career with AC Milan and his contributions to the Italian national team.
Lionel Messi, celebrating his 39th birthday, continues to be a dominant force in football, leading Argentina and achieving new milestones. Fans in Kolkata marked the occasion with grand tributes, including a 30-foot portrait and neighbourhood decorations, honouring the football legend.
'The two semi-finals have also been brought forward to have a tight schedule. The first will be on June 12, then 13 for the second and 17 the final'
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final joined an exclusive list after Spain edged Argentina 1-0 in extra time. This is the ninth time a Cup final went beyond the stipulated 90 minutes,
Flavio Briatore compared F1 to Italian football's match-fixing scandal and suggesting the championship had been decided "around a table".
Manchester City enter a challenging post-Guardiola era, with Enzo Maresca tasked with preserving their dominance, managing squad changes and meeting immense expectations in a fiercely competitive Premier League.
Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) President Lise Klaveness has called for the immediate resignation of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating he 'does not have the institutional trust required to govern FIFA stably' and that 'there is no going back for Gianni Infantino'.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledges that the club's newly revamped backline, featuring Ronald Araujo and Jeremy Jacquet, will require time to develop strong partnerships and click into gear, despite their promising start in a friendly.
Italy rejects a proposal by Trump envoy Paolo Zampolli to replace Iran at the FIFA World Cup 2026, as officials insist qualification must be earned on merit.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma said he was hurt by reports claiming the national team's players had demanded a bonus if they qualified for this year's World Cup.
FIFA's proposal to create a $20 billion subsidiary for the World Cup, offering up to 20% stakes to external investors, aims to democratise global football finance but has been condemned by UEFA as selling the game's "soul."
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho again spoke of his dislike for Italian soccer on the eve of his side's Champions League quarter-final first leg against CSKA Moscow.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is holding a crisis meeting with top officials in Morocco to address the fallout from his failed attempt to sell commercial rights to the World Cup, a move that has led to widespread criticism and calls for his removal.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing a deepening crisis after his proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup was abandoned, leading to public distancing from influential executives and calls for his removal from office.
Former France midfielder and Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as the new head coach of the French national football team, succeeding Didier Deschamps.
Joakim Alexandersson has been reappointed as the head coach of the India U-17 women's national football team, less than a year after his previous departure. He will lead the squad in preparations for the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers in October, where India is grouped with Malaysia, Syria, and Iraq. The team aims to build on its historic quarter-final achievement in the previous Asian Cup.
Brazil's World Cup campaign ended with a 2-1 defeat to Norway as Carlo Ancelotti's gamble on experienced stars backfired, exposing deeper structural issues and leaving the five-time champions facing a long road back to the summit of world football.
Manchester City has announced Enzo Maresca as their new manager, succeeding Pep Guardiola. Maresca, who previously coached City's youth team and served as assistant coach, returns to the club after guiding Leicester City to the Premier League title. He faces the significant challenge of maintaining City's dominance following Guardiola's highly successful decade-long tenure.
Former Italy under-20 international Cristian Volpato has decided to represent Australia and will join the Socceroos' training camp in Los Angeles ahead of the World Cup, Football Australia said on Friday.
Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was handed a four-match ban after striking a referee on the head following a 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra, the Egyptian Pro League said on Thursday.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful he will have Neymar available for more minutes in Monday's World Cup round of 32 fixture against Japan in Houston, and believes his Brazil side are ready for anything in what will be a tough knockout fixture.
