The criticism of the president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas, against Gianni Infantino They once again highlighted a dispute that has pitted FIFA against the professional leagues for several years: the expansion of international competitions, the growing load of matches and the balance between the interests of the governing body and those of the national tournaments.
In that context, Tebas called for the resignation of the FIFA president during an interview given to the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sportin which he accused the organization of “destroying the soccer industry” and questioned decisions made during the 2026 World Cup.
The Spanish leader maintained that the expansion of international tournaments responds to a strategy that prioritizes the commercial growth of FIFA without measuring the impact on national leagues, clubs and footballers. He also criticized the international calendar, considering that it increases the load of matches and reduces rest periods.
As an example of these differences, Tebas questioned organizational decisions applied during the World Cup, including hydration breaks in stadiums with air conditioning systems, arguing that they responded more to commercial interests than to sporting needs.
The statements add to a series of questions that the president of LaLiga has raised in recent years about the governance of FIFA. These include the expansion of the World Cup, the growth of the Club World Cup and the impact that these competitions have on the calendars of the national leagues.
The disagreement, however, goes beyond statements between leaders. The discussion confronts two visions on the development of professional football. On the one hand, FIFA promotes the expansion of its international competitions; On the other hand, the national leagues maintain that this growth must be compatible with the stability of their championships and the sports planning of the clubs.
In the interview, Tebas also stated that FIFA’s governance system makes any internal change difficult and assured that the organization makes decisions without consulting the rest of the actors in professional football. Likewise, he reiterated his criticism of the functioning of the Super League and defended the management model of Spanish football.
Infantino’s request for resignation represents the most forceful expression of that disagreement, but the conflict transcends both leaders. The debate continues to focus on how to make the expansion of international competitions compatible with the sustainability of national leagues, the load of matches and the governance model of world football.