The head of the Spanish La Liga slams FIFA: “It is destroying the football industry”

The president of the Spanish football league, Javier Tebas, is not mincing words when it comes to FIFA. He accuses the international football federation of "destroying the football industry" and has called for the resignation of its president, Gianni Infantino.

The head of Spanish professional football launched this attack against Infantino and FIFA as Spain's victory at the 2026 World Cup had just occurred and rumors were circulating about a possible increase in the number of teams in the 2030 men's tournament, which will take place partly in Spain, from 48 to 64.

“Increasing the number of national teams makes no sense,” Tebas said in an interview with the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday. “The football industry isn’t just about the World Cup, which is certainly the biggest event. But everything can’t revolve around the World Cup. It’s the domestic competitions that keep the sport alive. They’re destroying the football industry, the one that generates tens of thousands of jobs, for an event that lasts 40 days and involves only a minority of players. We need fewer national teams and better protection for domestic football at all levels. They don’t realize what’s happening; they’re making irresponsible decisions.”

Infantino's departure?

When asked about the desirability of Infantino leaving his post, Tebas said: “In my opinion, yes, I think he's done his time. But he has the support of the system, the federations, there's not much more to add, is there? There's no opposition candidate, nobody wants to run and risk losing. It's the system, and it's a system sick at its core. In recent days, here in America, I've heard many people oppose Infantino, who disapprove of his actions. I don't know if silence or complicity is worse, because those who remain silent are perfectly aware of the damage football is suffering.”

Balogun's red card

“The suspension of the American player is an extremely serious matter,” Tebas stated. “They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the United States, because otherwise, a controversy could have erupted and cost Infantino his job. The Belgian victory helped to bury the affair. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. FIFA decides things as it sees fit, for its own interests, certainly not for football. So if they need a 27-minute break, they take it. Hydration breaks are a sham. We have them in La Liga, but only when it's very hot. Here, the stadiums in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Atlanta were air-conditioned; I had to wear a sweater in the stands. It was a sham, a break for advertising purposes.”