La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for Gianni Infantino to step down as FIFA president, accusing him of "destroying the football industry" through the expansion of international competitions and excessive commercialisation.
In an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport published on Tuesday, the outspoken Spanish executive launched a blistering attack on FIFA's leadership following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
"In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up," Tebas said of Infantino. "However, he has the support of the system and the federations, so there's not much more to add, is there? There's no opposition candidate, nobody wants to stand just to lose. This is the system and it's rotten at its core."
The confrontation comes as South American governing body CONMEBOL has formally proposed expanding the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams — a move set to make the tournament the most sprawling edition in history with six host nations across three continents. Tebas argued that increasing the number of national teams makes no sense and warned that the football industry is being sacrificed for a single event.
"It's national competition that sustains this sport," Tebas said. "They are destroying the football industry, which generates tens of thousands of jobs, for an event that lasts 40 days and involves a minority of players."
The La Liga chief also took aim at FIFA's introduction of hydration breaks during the World Cup and the extended 27-minute halftime interval in the final — double the standard length — which Spain won 1-0 against Argentina. He described the hydration breaks as "a lie," noting that several stadiums featured air conditioning.
"FIFA arranges things as it pleases, for what it wants, for its own interests — certainly not for football," Tebas said.
Infantino announced in April that he would seek re-election for a fourth term as FIFA president, with the vote scheduled for March 18, 2027 in Morocco. No opposing candidate has yet emerged.
The Football Supporters Europe (FSE) group also weighed in, releasing a statement calling for structural governance reforms at FIFA and accusing the organisation of prioritising "spectacle and commercialisation over the match-going experience."
Tebas has been a persistent critic of Infantino's governance, and his latest remarks underline the growing rift between Europe's major domestic leagues and FIFA's leadership over the direction of the global game.
Sources
- https://apnews.com/article/infantino-fifa-tebas-spain-world-cup-cf84afc1fe3507414ff87527bdf7c4f4
