La Liga president Javier Tebas has once again criticized FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying he should resign over decisions he believes are damaging football. Tebas accused FIFA of putting commercial interests ahead of sport, expanding international tournaments and increasing fixture congestion. His latest comments come amid discussions about expanding the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams.Tebas said that the expansion of the World Cup is more damaging to domestic competitions, which he believes are the backbone of football. “Increasing the number of national teams does not make sense. The football industry is not only the World Cup, which is the most important event. But not everything can revolve around the World Cup,” he told the Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, as quoted by the AP news agency.He also asked Infantino to leave his post, saying: “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up.” Tebas added that many people opposed Infantino in private, but did not act, saying: “He should not stay, but he will not leave … those who remain silent are perfectly aware of the damage that football suffers.”Tebas also criticized FIFA’s hydration breaks and the 27-minute halftime extension during the World Cup final, saying: “The hydration breaks are a lie… It was a lie – and just a publicity break.”
The group of fans joins the criticism
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) also condemned FIFA’s handling of the World Cup, calling for major governance reforms. The group accused FIFA of prioritizing commercial interests over supporters, pointing to high ticket prices, expensive travel, poor communication and changes to football traditions. FSE argued that the tournament damaged the reputation of FIFA and the World Cup, concluding that “FIFA is not fit to govern global football” and accusing Infantino of putting financial and political interests ahead of the future of the game.
