'Infantino Must Go': La Liga Chief Launches Explosive Attack On FIFA President

Published 21 July 2026 · sports

'Infantino Must Go': La Liga Chief Launches Explosive Attack On FIFA President Published By, Last Updated: July 21, 2026, 19:30 IST La Liga president Javier

'Infantino Must Go': La Liga Chief Launches Explosive Attack On FIFA President Published By, Last Updated: July 21, 2026, 19:30 IST La Liga president Javier Tebas has called on FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to resign, accusing him of "destroying the football industry" with controversial World Cup decisions. Rapid Read Javier Tebas had some strong words for Gianni Infantino (AFP) La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched one of his strongest attacks yet on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, insisting the Swiss official should step down after what he described as a series of decisions that are “destroying the football industry." Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport after attending Spain’s World Cup triumph in the United States, Tebas criticised everything from the expanded World Cup and extended half-time show to mandatory hydration breaks and FIFA’s controversial intervention over United States striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension. “His Time Is Up" Asked directly whether Infantino should resign, Tebas didn’t hesitate. “In my opinion, yes, I think his time is up." The La Liga chief argued, however, that Infantino remains protected by FIFA’s electoral system. “There’s no opposition candidate, nobody wants to stand just to lose.

He shouldn’t stay, but the current state of affairs means he won’t leave." Tebas added that while many football administrators privately oppose Infantino’s leadership, few are willing to challenge him publicly. “These past few days here in America, I’ve heard many people who are against Infantino, who disagree with what he’s doing. They say it, but then they do nothing. I don’t know what’s worse, the silence or the complicity." Balogun Controversy Still Rankles Tebas also revisited one of the tournament’s biggest controversies — the decision to postpone Folarin Balogun’s suspension before the United States’ Round of 16 clash against Belgium following intervention from US President Donald Trump. He believes Belgium’s victory ultimately prevented a much larger scandal. “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." UEFA had previously branded the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable," with president Aleksander Čeferin subsequently skipping the World Cup final. World Cup Over Everything? The Spanish football chief also criticised FIFA’s push to further expand the World Cup to 64 teams, arguing domestic football is paying the price.