Read 3 minutes21 Jul 2026 08:33 PM IST
La Liga president Javier Tebas said FIFA president Gianni Infantino should step down, but is likely to continue because there is no contradiction and the electoral system is rotten to the core. Infantino is confident of a fourth term in office after receiving overwhelming support from world football’s governing bodies despite recent controversies, the Guardian reported.
More than 200 of FIFA’s 211 member associations have backed Infantino’s re-election bid, with only a handful of nations yet to submit letters of support. According to the Guardian, Germany has been the most notable holdout among the European federations, although most continents have confirmed its support.
“There is no opposition candidate, no one wants to stand only to lose. He shouldn’t stay, but the current situation means he won’t leave,” Tebas said in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“For the last few days here in America, I have heard many people who are against Infantino, who disagree with what he is doing. They say, but then they do nothing. I don’t know what is worse, silence or complicity, because those who remain silent are fully aware that football is being damaged,” he added.
last week, Infantino said FIFA wanted to go to 64 teams before the 2030 World Cup.. The Swiss lawyer said the competition should be “for the whole world”, but admitted it would be premature to discuss the matter now.
Tebas slammed the idea, saying the football industry doesn’t just revolve around the World Cup.
“Increasing the number of national teams makes no sense. The football industry is not just the World Cup. It’s the national tournaments that sustain the game. They are destroying the football industry that creates thousands of jobs for an event that lasts 40 days and includes minority players,” Tebas said.
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“Are there the best players? Obviously, but they are also in our league. We need less international matches and more protection for national football at all levels. They don’t realize that they are making irresponsible decisions,” he added.