FRF confirms Gică Hagi remains Romania coach despite four Nations League defeats

Gheorghe Hagi remains the head coach of the Romania national team despite a difficult start to the current campaign. The federation confirmed his position after the team suffered four consecutive defeats in the Nations League. FRF President Răzvan Burleanu announced total support for the 61-year-old coach and excluded the possibility of his dismissal.

Romania lost all four matches played in the current Nations League cycle. The results included a 2-1 defeat and a 0-1 loss to Sweden in late September. The team then lost 4-2 to Bosnia in early October before suffering a heavy 6-0 defeat to Poland on October 5.

Burleanu made the announcement regarding Hagi's future at the FRF Executive Committee on October 20, 2026. He stated that he spoke with Hagi after every match and the scenario of separation was never discussed. The president noted that Hagi never expressed a desire to leave or resign during their post-match talks in the dressing room.

FRF technical director Mihai Stoichiță also addressed the speculation surrounding the coaching staff. He denied rumors of Hagi's resignation or dismissal, stating that such terms do not exist in the federation's vocabulary. Stoichiță affirmed that Hagi retains the full support of the FRF leadership to pursue his football vision.

Stoichiță confirmed he recently spoke with Hagi and his staff. They are currently analyzing upcoming Nations League matches and potential player call-ups. The technical director stated that Hagi has never mentioned resignation or renunciation during their discussions.

FRF officials, including the president and general secretaries, visited the team to encourage players after the 6-0 defeat to Poland. This visit occurred without any consideration of staff changes. Reports indicate that Hagi's contract runs until after the European Championship with an automatic extension clause, though this detail is not fully confirmed.

Burleanu acknowledged errors in match preparation and execution. He stated that the technical staff must find solutions to improve performance. The FRF aims for stability to build a solid technical project targeting qualification for EURO 2028.

Romania has two remaining Nations League matches. The team will face Poland at home on November 14 and travel to play Bosnia away on November 17. The FRF announced that 20,000 tickets were already sold for the match against Poland at Arena Națională.

Beyond the national team, Burleanu urged Superliga clubs to invest more in academies and youth promotion. He warned that increased investment is needed to avoid special federation rules. He noted that the number of children and coaches has increased fivefold in the last 12 years, but fields remain insufficient.

Stoichiță cited Universitatea Craiova and Rapid as examples of clubs successfully integrating young players into national team pools. These clubs were highlighted for their contribution to the development of talent available for senior selection.