La Liga president Javier Tebas says ‘Infantino era is over’ at Fifa
La Liga president Javier Tebas has declared that "the Infantino era is over" at Fifa, telling French newspaper Le Monde that Gianni Infantino is "destroying the very essence" of football and calling for his resignation. Tebas, a longstanding critic of Fifa's leadership, argues that Infantino's projects harm national leagues and that control of the game should not rest solely with an "elite" few. His comments add to mounting pressure on Infantino, who is resisting an increasingly coordinated campaign by European football officials to remove him.
Tebas said he had long noted Infantino's management style, adding that any change in leadership must involve "a genuine overhaul" rather than simply replacing personnel. The pressure on Infantino follows his quashed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, criticism from Uefa and Norway's football association, and reports that Uefa made a six-figure "departure payment" to a female former employee over an alleged past relationship with Infantino, which Fifa has denied. Fifa has accused critics of trying to unseat Infantino before next March's presidential election, while he retains support from nations including Mexico and Argentina; Uefa says a boycott of Fifa tournaments, including September's Under-20 Women's World Cup, remains possible.
- Tebas says Infantino's Fifa leadership "era is over"
- Comments add to growing pressure over World Cup stake plan, alleged relationship claims
- Fifa accuses critics of trying to unseat Infantino before March election
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those sympathetic to Tebas's criticism argue that Fifa under Infantino has prioritised commercial expansion, such as the enlarged Club World Cup, over the wellbeing of players, the integrity of domestic competitions and the game's traditions. They see a governing body that has centralised power, sidelined the leagues and federations who actually run week-to-week football, and struck lucrative deals with insufficient transparency or consultation. From this perspective, calling for Infantino's era to end reflects a genuine concern that football's global custodian has drifted from serving the sport towards serving its own commercial and political interests.
The case against
Those more sympathetic to Infantino and Fifa would note that his leadership has expanded the World Cup to more nations, grown Fifa's revenues and investment in global football development, and pursued a more inclusive vision of the game beyond Europe's traditional powers. They might also point out that Tebas, as head of a major domestic league, has his own institutional and commercial interests in resisting a crowded international calendar and competing tournaments, meaning his attack could partly reflect a turf dispute over fixtures, revenue and influence rather than disinterested concern for football's essence. On this view, robust reform proposals deserve scrutiny, but so do the motives and rival interests of those making them.