What happens next after Spalletti’s Italy announcement

Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Italy, interacts with Mateo Retegui of Italy after the team’s defeat in the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Spain and Italy at Arena AufSchalke on June 20, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images for FIGC)

Luciano Spalletti is currently taking charge of his final training session in charge of the Italy national team following his announcement that he will be leaving after Monday’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova. 

Here is a reminder of how Spalletti’s time in charge came to an end and what is expected to happen next. 

Spalletti confirms Italy departure in press conference 

Two days on from the disastrous 3-0 loss against Norway in Italy’s first World Cup qualifier of the campaign, Spalletti announced during his pre-match press conference that he will be leaving his position as head coach of the national team. 

Spalletti told the press that FIGC President Gabriele Gravina informed him that he would be dismissed, but the coach has indicated that he will still resign after the Moldova match on Monday night. 

The news comes in the aftermath of the 3-0 Norway loss, which has already thrown a spanner into the works, as Italy currently sit nine points off the top of qualification Group I, which is required to gain automatic qualification to the 2026 World Cup. 

Spalletti had also overseen a massively underwhelming EURO 2024 campaign, which resulted in a round of 16 exit after a lacklustre 2-0 loss to Switzerland. 

Though there was an encouraging start to the Nations League campaign after the EUROs in 2024, including victories over France, Israel and Belgium, Italy finished the group in second place and were then defeated over two legs by Germany in the quarter-finals. 

Including the Germany quarter-finals and the Norway loss, Italy have drawn once and lost twice from their three international matches so far in 2025. 

What happens next for Spalletti and Italy? 

Spalletti is now leading his final training session in charge of the Italy national team, preparing the squad for their second 2026 World Cup qualifier, which takes place on Monday night on home soil against Moldova. 

Spalletti has confirmed that he will still be with the team at the Mapei Stadium on Monday night, and that he will then negotiate the terms of his exit with the FIC shortly afterwards. 

Once his contract termination is finalised, Spalletti will be free again to explore opportunities elsewhere. 

Italy, meanwhile, are now on the lookout for a new head coach to guide the team into the 2026 World Cup, and through the now-complicated qualification process. 

Sunday’s reports claim that Stefano Pioli and Claudio Ranieri are the frontrunners for the job, and that the former is currently the more ‘viable’ option.