La Liga president Javier Tebas has criticized FIFA for what he describes as "complicit silence" surrounding the organization, particularly following a controversial decision regarding U.S. striker Folarin Balogun.
Balogun was allowed to play in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Belgium, despite having received a red card. FIFA's disciplinary committee suspended his one-game ban for 12 months, a decision that UEFA has labeled "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable."
Outside of Europe, however, there has been minimal outcry from football officials regarding FIFA's ruling. While the South American football confederation, CONMEBOL, issued a statement defending referee Raphael Claus after U.S. President Donald Trump called him "a bit suspect," the statement did not criticize FIFA or Trump, who had reportedly requested a review of the ban.
Tebas stated that the Balogun decision is merely the "tip of the iceberg," pointing to a series of events that have been "eroding the credibility of FIFA and football in general for many years." He accused FIFA of operating as a closed organization where decisions are predetermined and made without consulting domestic leagues.
"And the worst of all is that much of the football world is aware of it, but too many prefer to maintain a complicit silence," Tebas wrote on X. "Because staying quiet is more comfortable than defending independence, transparency, and good governance."
Tebas asserted that world football requires accountable institutions that adhere to rules and govern transparently, rather than relying on "unilateral, discretionary, arbitrary decisions that erode the trust of fans, clubs, leagues, and players."