Rocco Commisso, the outspoken U.S. owner of Italian soccer club Fiorentina, has died at 76. Both the club and his company, Mediacom Communications, announced his passing without a cause. Commisso purchased Fiorentina in 2019 and was known for criticizing Italy's stadium bureaucracy.

A Calabria-born immigrant who built Mediacom into a major U.S. cable company, Commisso also owned the New York Cosmos. He played soccer at Columbia University, which named its stadium for him. The Cosmos called him a passionate leader dedicated to American soccer's growth and community.

Commisso celebrated Fiorentina's Conference League finals in 2023 and 2024. However, the team currently sits in Serie A's relegation zone. FIFA President Gianni Infantino paid tribute, recalling Commisso spoke of his players 'like his children.' He is survived by his wife and two children.