La Liga chief urges FIFA president Infantino to quit

The president of Spain's top football league has launched a scathing attack on FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, accusing the global governing body of destroying the sport's industry and calling for a change in leadership. Javier Tebas, head of La Liga, made the comments in an interview published on July 21, 2026, as the 48-team World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico concluded with Spain's victory.

Tebas's criticism centers on FIFA's management and its future plans, particularly a proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament. He argued that such an expansion is irresponsible and makes no sense for the broader football economy. "The football industry is not just the World Cup, which is the most important event. But not everything can revolve around the World Cup," Tebas said. "It is national competitions that support this sport." He contended that FIFA is "destroying the football industry, the one that generates tens of thousands of jobs for an event that lasts 40 days and to which the minority of players go," advocating instead for fewer international matches and more protection for domestic leagues.