Italy’s Gravina elected new UEFA first vice-president

Italian Football Federation President Gabriele Gravina has been named as the new first vice-president of UEFA. ‘I am happy and proud.’

This is seen as an important recognition of the importance of Italian football in Europe, but is also a boost for Gravina, whose own position in charge of the FIGC has been criticised.

He was originally elected as the President of the Italian Football Federation in October 2018 and was given a third term in February 2025.

The UEFA annual Congress was held in Belgrade today and saw Gravina re-elected to the UEFA Executive Committee with 48 votes, fewer only than Dutchman Frank Paauw on 49.

Notably, Gravina was also appointed the first UEFA vice-president, with Hans-Joachim Watzke and Jesper Moller Christensen additional UEFA vice-presidents.

David Gill, Karl-Erik Nilsson and Inter legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were bestowed honorary UEFA membership.

Gravina sees UEFA role as sign Italy moving in right direction

“I am happy and proud,” said Gravina.

“This election is an extraordinary recognition of the important contribution offered by Italian football to the development of the sport that we love so much.

“In the last four years, our credibility on the European stage has progressively grown thanks to the choices made with courageous and innovative policies that we are carrying forward, implementing rules to make football increasingly intriguing and balanced on a financial level.

“The common future of European football is written day by day, so we will continue to support this evolutionary process.

“On a personal level, this election is incredibly satisfying, because it comes from the good policies we implemented, but also the good relations and rapports we created on an international level.”