La Liga president calls for Fifa’s Gianni Infantino to resign

By Daniel Forsythe — 21 July 2026 — 3 min read Javier Tebas , president of La Liga , has stated that Fifa president Gianni Infantino should resign, alleging that the global governing body is “destroying the football industry.” Tebas’s comments were made during an interview with an Italian newspaper, where he also criticised several decisions made by Fifa during the recent World Cup . Among the criticisms were the mandatory hydration breaks, the extended half-time interval during the final, and the handling of a suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun . Tebas also expressed concerns about the potential for a 64-team World Cup in the future. When directly asked if Infantino should step down, Tebas responded, “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up.” Concerns over Fifa’s governance and decisions Tebas highlighted that while many individuals privately disagree with Infantino’s actions, they often remain silent. He described Fifa ‘s election system as “rotten at its core,” noting the absence of opposition candidates. “There’s no opposition candidate, nobody wants to stand just to lose,” Tebas stated, suggesting that despite widespread discontent, Infantino is likely to be re-elected for a fourth term at Fifa ‘s March congress. The La Liga president believes that the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun ‘s suspension could have led to Infantino’s departure. The American player avoided a ban for his team’s last-16 match against Belgium following an intervention. Tebas commented, “The suspension of the American player’s ban was absolutely serious. They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the USA , because otherwise a case could have arisen that might have cost Infantino his job.” He added that these incidents are merely “the tip of the iceberg.” Uefa , European football’s governing body, had previously criticised Fifa ‘s decision regarding Balogun, calling it “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” This decision was cited as a reason for Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin ‘s absence from the World Cup final. Impact on the football industry and player welfare Tebas also voiced strong opposition to the idea of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams. He argued that “not everything can revolve around the World Cup ,” emphasising the importance of national competitions in sustaining the sport. “Increasing the number of national teams makes no sense. The football industry isn’t just the World Cup ,” he said. He further elaborated that Fifa ‘s focus on the World Cup is detrimental to the broader football industry, which supports numerous jobs. “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,” Tebas asserted. He called for fewer international matches and greater protection for national football at all levels, accusing Fifa of making “irresponsible decisions.” The mandatory three-minute hydration breaks introduced by Fifa for all World Cup matches in the United States , Mexico , and Canada , regardless of conditions, also drew criticism. While Fifa stated these breaks were for player welfare, critics suggest they were used for advertising. Tebas noted that pitches in cities like Dallas , Los Angeles , and Atlanta had air conditioning, making the hydration breaks appear disingenuous. “It was a lie, a break for advertising,” he concluded. FIFA president Gianni Infantino holds the FIFA World Cup trophy Credit: bbc.co.uk The extended half-time show at the World Cup final prolonged the usual break. Tebas commented, “ Fifa arranges things as it pleases, for what it wants, for its own interests, certainly not for football.” He believes that Fifa acts solely in its own interests, often to the detriment of the sport. Tebas spent several days in the US , where he heard many people express their disagreement with Infantino’s actions. He questioned whether the silence or the complicity of those who criticise privately is worse, as they are aware of the damage being inflicted on football. Despite these concerns, Tebas acknowledged that Infantino has the support of national federations, making his departure unlikely under the current circumstances. Read Also Madrid welcomes World Cup champions Spain with massive parade Royal Birkdale: DeChambeau accused of threatening to call Trump over Open penalty Blackpool sees Cameron Menzies stun Luke Humphries in World Matchplay first round Sir Alex Ferguson remembers Kevin Keegan's impact at Newcastle United Source: bbc.co.uk Сообщение La Liga president calls for Fifa’s Gianni Infantino to resign появились сначала на SportsNewspros .