Javier Tebas Calls for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s Departure, Criticizing Recent Tournament Policies

Even though the recent World Cup generated significant revenue, many fans resented the newly introduced hydration breaks that were effectively repurposed for advertising. Among those critical of the sport’s evolving direction is La Liga president Javier Tebas, who voiced his disapproval of FIFA president Gianni Infantino in a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Tebas said: “Infantino should leave. His time has come. But he has the support of the system and the federations. There is no opposition candidate; nobody wants to run only to lose. In the United States, I have heard many people speak out against Infantino and say they disagree with what he is doing. They say it, but then they do nothing. I don’t know what is worse, silence or complicity, because those who remain silent are perfectly aware of the damage soccer is suffering.”

His comments were hardly surprising, as the La Liga president previously highlighted the concentration of authority within football’s governing bodies, noting that the Super League initiative granted FIFA and UEFA sweeping powers that reinforce their monopoly.

Tebas on the hydration breaks

When the cooling breaks were trialed during last year’s Club World Cup, expectations were they would be temporary. However, it quickly became evident that, particularly in the United States, the rebranded hydration breaks served primarily as additional slots for commercial advertising.

Infantino wants to be reelected (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Tebas remarked, “FIFA arranges its schedule to suit its own interests, not the sport itself. If a 27‑minute pause is required, they introduce one. Hydration breaks are a farce; we employ them in La Liga only under extreme heat conditions.”

He went on to describe his personal experience: “Despite the stadiums in Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta having air conditioning, I felt compelled to wear a sweater in the stands. It felt like a farce—an advertising break rather than a genuine effort to ensure player welfare.”

Tebas on the Folarin Balogun case

A key controversy during the tournament centered on the USMNT. In a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, striker Folarin Balogun was shown a red card following a VAR review in an incident widely regarded as unfortunate. This was only the start of the saga, as FIFA took the unprecedented step of overturning the suspension and clearing Balogun to appear against Belgium.

Tebas later commented, “This is an extremely serious matter. The U.S. only escaped a larger scandal because Belgium ultimately defeated them; otherwise, the incident could have cost Infantino his position. The fact that Belgium prevailed allowed the issue to be buried. Yet, this controversy merely scratches the surface of deeper problems.”

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