La Liga President Tebas Urges Infantino To Quit, Accuses FIFA Of Damaging Football

La Liga president Javier Tebas has called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to step down, accusing the world football governing body of making decisions that are harming the sport.

Speaking in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tebas criticised several of FIFA’s decisions during the 2026 World Cup, including mandatory hydration breaks, the extended half-time show in the final, the suspension of Folarin Balogun’s automatic ban and proposals to expand future World Cups to 64 teams.

Asked whether Infantino should resign, Tebas replied: “In my opinion, yes. I think his time is up.”

He argued that Infantino continues to enjoy the support of national football federations, making it difficult for any challenger to emerge.

“There’s no opposition candidate. Nobody wants to stand just to lose,” Tebas said, adding that the current system makes it unlikely the FIFA president will leave office despite growing criticism.

Tebas said he encountered widespread dissatisfaction with Infantino’s leadership during the World Cup in the United States.

“These past few days here in America, I’ve heard many people who are against Infantino and disagree with what he’s doing,” he said.

“They say it, but then they do nothing. 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.”

The La Liga chief also criticised FIFA’s handling of United States striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension after the forward was cleared to play in the round-of-16 match against Belgium despite receiving a red card in the previous game.

“The suspension of the American player’s ban was absolutely serious,” Tebas said. “They were lucky Belgium eliminated the USA, because otherwise it could have become a case that might have cost Infantino his job.”

UEFA had earlier condemned the decision, describing it as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” with the dispute contributing to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin’s decision to skip the World Cup final.

Tebas also rejected suggestions to expand the World Cup to 64 teams, warning that such a move would undermine domestic football.“

Increasing the number of national teams makes no sense,” he said. “The football industry isn’t just the World Cup. National competitions sustain this sport. We need fewer international matches and greater protection for domestic football.”

He further questioned FIFA’s introduction of mandatory hydration breaks, claiming they served commercial rather than sporting purposes.

“Hydration breaks are a lie,” Tebas said. “They became advertising breaks. FIFA does what it wants, when it wants, following only its own interests without considering the rest of football.”