La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign, asserting that the international football governing body is "destroying the football industry." Tebas, speaking in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, also criticized several recent FIFA decisions, including World Cup hydration breaks, the extended half-time interval during the final match, and the postponement of a suspension for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun.
Tebas stated that Infantino's "time is up" but acknowledged the FIFA president's strong support from national federations, describing FIFA's election system as "rotten at its core" due to a lack of opposition candidates. He believes Infantino will remain in power despite these criticisms.
During his visit to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, Tebas noted that many individuals expressed opposition to Infantino's leadership and direction for football, but remained silent. "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," Tebas said.
Infantino is anticipated to be re-elected for a fourth term at FIFA's March congress. Tebas suggested that Infantino might have faced consequences related to the case involving U.S. player Folarin Balogun. The striker had his suspension for a match against Belgium overturned following intervention reportedly from U.S. President Donald Trump. Tebas called this decision "absolutely serious" and suggested that if Belgium had not eliminated the U.S., it could have created a situation that might have cost Infantino his job. UEFA, Europe's governing body, had previously criticized the decision as "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable."
Tebas also voiced concerns about FIFA's potential expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams. He argued that "not everything can revolve around the World Cup" and that increasing the number of participating national teams "makes no sense." According to Tebas, national competitions are what sustain the sport and generate significant employment, and he believes FIFA's focus on a short-duration event is detrimental to the broader football industry. "They don't realise they are making irresponsible decisions," he added.
The mandatory three-minute hydration breaks, implemented for all matches in the United States, Mexico, and Canada during the World Cup, were also scrutinized. While FIFA stated these breaks were for player welfare, critics suggested they were primarily used for advertising. Tebas dismissed these breaks as "a lie," noting that similar breaks are used in La Liga only when genuinely necessary due to heat, unlike the climate-controlled stadiums in some World Cup venues. He further criticized the 27-minute half-time interval of the final match, suggesting FIFA arranges events to suit its own interests rather than those of football. "It's proof that we are governed by an institution that does and decides what it wants, when it wants, following only its own interests without considering the rest of football. And in many cases, it acts to the detriment of football," Tebas concluded. FIFA has been contacted for comment.