La Liga Boss Demands Infantino’s Exit Amid FIFA Crisis

La Liga president Javier Tebas has renewed his criticism of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, insisting that the football governing body’s leader should step down over what he described as decisions that are harming the global football industry.

According to Ireporter Online, Tebas made the comments during an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, where he argued that Infantino’s leadership had reached its conclusion and accused FIFA of prioritising the World Cup at the expense of domestic competitions.

When asked whether Infantino should resign, the Spanish football administrator responded that he believed the FIFA president’s tenure was over. He, however, acknowledged that the current structure of FIFA’s electoral system makes it difficult for potential challengers to emerge.

Tebas claimed that many stakeholders within football privately disagree with Infantino’s leadership but are unwilling to openly challenge him. He questioned whether silence from those who oppose FIFA’s direction was contributing to the problems facing the sport.

The La Liga chief also criticised the handling of a controversy involving United States striker Folarin Balogun, whose suspension ahead of a World Cup knockout match was reportedly delayed following intervention from US President Donald Trump. Tebas described the situation as a serious matter and suggested that a different outcome in the tournament could have created major consequences for FIFA’s leadership.

UEFA had previously expressed concerns over FIFA’s decision, describing the move as unusual and difficult to justify, while UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin reportedly chose not to attend the World Cup final in protest.

Tebas further rejected FIFA’s proposal to increase the number of teams participating in future World Cups to 64, arguing that domestic leagues remain the foundation of football and should receive greater protection.

He maintained that expanding international competitions would place more pressure on players and weaken national leagues, which he said provide employment opportunities and sustain the football economy globally.

The La Liga president also accused FIFA of prioritising commercial interests over the welfare of football after criticising decisions surrounding mandatory hydration breaks and the extended half-time entertainment programme during the World Cup final.

Tebas claimed some of the breaks introduced during matches were driven more by advertising opportunities than genuine sporting needs, arguing that FIFA was making decisions based on its own interests rather than the broader development of football.

The controversy gained further attention after Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to show support for criticism directed at FIFA by liking an Instagram post that questioned the organisation’s handling of the World Cup.

The post, which featured comments from Spanish journalists Pilar Rodrigues Losantos and Ruben Amon, criticised FIFA’s governance, ticket pricing policies and decisions surrounding major tournament events.

FIFA also faced scrutiny during the competition over several refereeing and VAR decisions involving Argentina, with some teams and observers questioning calls made during key matches.

Despite the controversies, Spain eventually defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal to secure the title.