La Liga chief warns FIFA expansion threatens football industry jobs
La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for Gianni Infantino to resign, warning that FIFA's drive to expand the World Cup is damaging the domestic leagues that sustain the sport's economic model.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has demanded the resignation of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accusing the governing body of sabotaging the economic foundations of the sport. The attack follows the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup and emerging suggestions that the 2030 tournament could be expanded from 48 to 64 teams.
For European leagues and broadcasters, the dispute centres on the disruption of the calendar. Tebas argued that FIFA is sacrificing an industry that "generates tens of thousands of jobs" to accommodate a single 40-day tournament involving a minority of players. Domestic competitions, which form the backbone of European football's commercial revenue, risk being marginalised by an ever-growing international schedule.
“Increasing the number of national teams makes no sense,” Tebas told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Not everything can revolve around the World Cup. It is national competitions that support this sport. They are destroying the football industry for an event that lasts 40 days.”
The La Liga chief went further, describing FIFA's internal governance as "a system rotten at its core". Infantino is widely expected to secure a fourth term at the March 2027 congress, a prospect Tebas dismissed by stating "his time is up". However, he acknowledged the lack of a viable opposition candidate makes change unlikely, criticising federation heads for choosing silence over action.
Tebas pointed to the controversial suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun's ban during the last-16 tie against Belgium as evidence of institutional interference. The ban was lifted by FIFA's disciplinary committee after a phone call from Donald Trump to Infantino. Tebas noted Belgium's victory allowed FIFA to "bury the matter", avoiding a scandal he claimed could have cost Infantino his position.
The commercial motives behind FIFA's operational decisions were also highlighted in Tebas's critique of the 2026 tournament. He noted that despite air-conditioned stadiums in Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta, mandatory hydration breaks were still implemented. “So, if they need a 27-minute half-time break, they’ll have it,” Tebas said. “It was a lie, a break for advertising.” FIFA has been approached for comment.
