La Liga president calls for Gianni Infantino to step down from Fifa presidency
Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, has stated that Fifa president Gianni Infantino should resign, alleging that the global governing body is “destroying the football industry.” Tebas expressed this view in an interview with an Italian newspaper, where he also criticised various decisions made by Fifa, including World Cup hydration breaks, the extended half-time interval during the final, and the handling of a suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun.
When questioned about whether Infantino should step down, Tebas responded, “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up.” He further claimed that Fifa’s election system is “rotten at its core,” noting that Infantino has the backing of national federations. Tebas observed that there is no opposition candidate willing to challenge Infantino, stating, “There’s no opposition candidate, nobody wants to stand just to lose.” Despite his call for Infantino’s departure, Tebas acknowledged that the current circumstances mean Infantino is unlikely to leave his position.
Concerns over Fifa’s decisions and global tournaments
Tebas, who was in the US to witness his country win the 2026 World Cup, reported hearing many individuals express opposition to Infantino’s actions. He questioned the silence and complicity of those who disagree, stating, “I don’t know what’s worse, the silence or the complicity, because those who stay silent are perfectly aware of the damage football is suffering.” Infantino is anticipated to secure a fourth term at Fifa’s congress in March.
Tebas believes that Infantino could have faced consequences due to his involvement in the case concerning Balogun. The 25-year-old US player avoided a suspension for his team’s last-16 match against Belgium following an intervention. Tebas commented, “The suspension of the American player’s ban was absolutely serious. They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the USA, because otherwise a case could have arisen that might have cost Infantino his job.” He added that with Belgium’s victory, the matter was “buried,” but considered such incidents to be “just the tip of the iceberg.”
Uefa, European football’s governing body, had previously criticised Fifa’s decision regarding Balogun, describing it as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” This decision reportedly influenced Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin’s absence from the World Cup final.
Critique of World Cup format and commercial interests
Infantino had previously indicated the possibility of a 64-team global tournament during this year’s event. However, Tebas argued against this expansion, stating that “not everything can revolve around the World Cup.” He maintained that increasing the number of national teams “makes no sense,” and that the football industry is sustained by national competitions, not solely by the World Cup.
Tebas asserted that Fifa’s actions 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.” He emphasised the importance of national football, advocating for fewer international matches and greater protection for domestic leagues at all levels. Tebas believes that Fifa is making “irresponsible decisions” without fully comprehending the impact.
Fifa implemented mandatory three-minute hydration breaks for the World Cup, regardless of environmental conditions, for all matches held in stadiums across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. While Fifa cited player welfare as the reason, critics have suggested these breaks were used by broadcasters for commercial purposes. Tebas called the hydration breaks a “lie,” noting that La Liga only implements them when it is genuinely hot. He pointed out that pitches in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Atlanta had air conditioning, suggesting the breaks were primarily for advertising.
The World Cup final also featured an extended half-time show with performances by artists such as Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and Justin Bieber. This extended the usual 15-minute half-time break to 27 minutes 22 seconds. Tebas stated, “Fifa arranges things as it pleases, for what it wants, for its own interests, certainly not for football.” He concluded that Fifa acts “to the detriment of football” by making decisions based solely on its own interests.
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Source: bbc.com
