Spanish League President Blasts FIFA Chief, Saying Decisions Are Driven Solely by Profit

Javier Tebas, president of Spain's La Liga, has strongly called for the resignation of Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).

In an interview with the Italian media outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport today (July 22, Korea time), Tebas asserted, "Infantino must resign."

However, he pointed out, "FIFA's electoral system is fundamentally corrupt, so he won't actually step down," adding, "There are no challengers willing to run and lose when there is no chance of winning."

Having visited the United States to watch the final of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, Tebas sharply criticized various controversies that emerged during the tournament and FIFA's unilateral administrative handling.

In particular, he fiercely criticized the suspension delay controversy surrounding U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun, which had raised suspicions of intervention by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Balogun was initially suspended from playing in the round of 16, but controversy arose when FIFA abruptly deferred the punishment for a year. In protest, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin boycotted attendance at the final.

Tebas raised his voice, saying, "The suspension delay for the U.S. player was a very serious matter, but it was fortunate (for FIFA) that Belgium eliminated the U.S.," adding, "If the result had been different, Infantino might have lost his job."

He also criticized FIFA's plans to expand future World Cups to a 64-team format.

Tebas stated, "Everything cannot revolve around the World Cup," emphasizing, "Domestic leagues in each country are the foundation that sustains this sport by creating tens of thousands of jobs."

He further criticized, "They are destroying the entire football industry for a mere 40-day event."

He pointed out that the mandatory three-minute hydration breaks introduced in all matches under the pretext of player protection, as well as the halftime show for the final featuring a lineup of pop stars, were nothing more than commercial gimmicks.

He claimed, "The stadiums in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Atlanta had air conditioning running so strongly that spectators had to wear jumpers in the stands," adding, "The breaks were a lie and purely time for advertisements."

Referring to the final's halftime stretching to a staggering 27 minutes and 22 seconds with performances by Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and Justin Bieber, he criticized, "FIFA makes decisions solely for its own benefit and does not care at all about football itself or anything else."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.