The president of La Liga, Javier Tebas, has called for Gianni Infantino to step down as Fifa president, accusing him of “destroying the football industry” through plans to expand the World Cup to 64 teams. Speaking to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport after Spain won the World Cup final on Sunday, Tebas said: “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up.”
Tebas’s attack came as Infantino’s predecessor, Sepp Blatter, also urged change, demanding that “fans, players and national associations to reclaim football and bring it back to its roots under new leadership”. The twin criticisms mark a rare moment of unity between two figures who have often been at odds.
“La Liga boss Javier Tebas calls for Infantino to quit over World Cup expansion and Balogun ban controversy, backed by Sepp Blatter.”
At the heart of Tebas’s complaint is Infantino’s push for a 64-team World Cup, building on the 48-team format used this summer in the United States, Canada and Mexico. “Increasing the number of national teams makes no sense,” Tebas said. “The football industry is not just the World Cup. Not everything can revolve around the World Cup. It is national competitions that support this sport.” He added: “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. We need fewer national teams and more protection for national football, at all levels. They don’t realise they are making irresponsible decisions.”
Tebas also pointed to the controversy surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun, whose one-match ban was suspended by Fifa’s disciplinary committee after a phone call from US President Donald Trump to Infantino. Balogun was then able to play in the US’s last-16 tie against Belgium. “The suspension of the American player’s ban was absolutely serious,” Tebas said. “They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the USA, because otherwise a case could have arisen that might have cost Infantino his job.” European football’s governing body, Uefa, had called the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”, and the incident contributed to Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin skipping the World Cup final.
Despite the criticism, Infantino is expected to be re-elected for a fourth term at Fifa’s congress in March, potentially unopposed for the third consecutive time. Tebas described the system as “rotten at its core”, noting that “there’s no opposition candidate, nobody wants to stand just to lose”. He questioned the silence of those who privately oppose Infantino: “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.”