La Liga President Javier Tebas has publicly accused FIFA of destroying the football industry and called for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to step down.
Tebas launched this blistering attack following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, expressing strong frustration over FIFA’s direction, particularly regarding reports that the 2030 World Cup could be expanded to 64 teams.
He emphasized that national competitions and domestic leagues are what sustain the sport and generate thousands of jobs, warning that FIFA’s decisions threaten to destabilize the broader football ecosystem.
“FIFA organises things as they please, for their own interests, not for football. So if they need a 27-minute break, they create one,” Tebas said.
“Hydration breaks are a farce. We have them in LaLiga, but only when it’s very hot. The stadiums in Dallas, LA and Atlanta had air conditioning, I had to put on a sweater in the stands! It was a farce, all for a commercial break.”
Tebas also highlighted the controversy surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun, whose red-card suspension was suspended by FIFA following political intervention before the US knockout match against Belgium—as evidence of flawed governance
. “And then there was also the Balogun case,” he continued. “They were lucky Belgium eliminated the USA, because otherwise they could’ve created a scandal that would’ve cost Infantino his job. Since Belgium won, they managed to bury the matter. But it’s the tip of the iceberg. Infantino should go, his time has come. But he has the support of the establishment and the national federations. There’s no opposition candidate, nobody wants to run to lose. It’s a flawed system from its very foundations. In the USA, I heard many people speak out against Infantino, disagreeing with what he’s doing.”