ROME — As Italy reels from its failure to qualify for the FIFA men’s World Cup for the third consecutive time, the fallout has transcended sports, igniting a fiery political debate over the control of football in the nation. The country's deep-rooted passion for football has turned its World Cup absence into a broader battle involving governance, political influence, and national identity.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faces multifaceted challenges, with football governance adding to her list. Following a devastating defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup playoffs, Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian football association (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio, FIGC), resigned this April amidst intense scrutiny. In the wake of his resignation, Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party has aggressively proposed to place the FIGC under special administration, echoing measures historically reserved for tackling severe corruption scandals within the sport.

This government intervention has sparked controversy, with critics accusing Meloni of attempting to centralize control and stifle dissent, paralleling accusations regarding her handling of other national institutions. The proposed suspension of the forthcoming FIGC elections, scheduled for June 22, is seen by some as a move to prevent Giovanni Malagò, a former president of the Italian Olympic Committee and a critic of Meloni's party, from becoming the next FIGC president.

Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi expressed in an interview with POLITICO that the focus should shift from elections to creating conditions conducive to revitalizing Italian football. However, football officials, including the ousted Gravina, view the government's push as an overreach that could hinder the sport's future rather than secure it.

Gravina, from his Rome office surrounded by memorabilia of Italy’s former football glories, criticized the government's approach, suggesting it seemed more like an occupation than a constructive intervention.

As the debate intensifies, opposition parties have joined the chorus criticizing Meloni’s approach, seeing it as part of a broader pattern of politicizing key sectors, from state media to judicial reforms. They argue that such moves could undermine the autonomy of significant cultural and economic institutions.

Despite these criticisms, the government maintains that their actions are misinterpreted and that there is no underlying political agenda in their intervention in the FIGC. Minister Abodi dismissed the accusations as "pathetic and baseless," emphasizing that the government's only aim is to elevate Italian football back to its former glory.

As the date for the FIGC election approaches, Italy remains locked in a complex debate that intertwines the future of its beloved sport with the mechanics of its political power structures, highlighting the profound impact football has on national sentiment and governance.