Tebas lashes out at FIFA: They do things for their own interests, not football's. Infantino must be removed

2026-07-21 16:38:00, Sport CNA

Tebas lashes out at FIFA: They do things for their own interests, not

Javier Tebas has harshly criticized FIFA and the way the last World Cup was organized, stating that decisions are made according to the interests of the institution and not of football.

The La Liga president specifically focused on hydration breaks, describing them as a publicity tool rather than a real sporting need. According to him, the stadiums in Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta had conditions that did not justify long interruptions.

Tebas said FIFA acts in its own interests without regard to the impact on the rest of football. He also said Gianni Infantino should not continue at the helm of FIFA. According to him, the lack of a strong opposing candidate and the support of the federations make it difficult to change the situation.

"FIFA does things as they please, for what they want, for their own interests, certainly not for football. So if they need a 27-minute break, they do it. Hydration breaks are a lie. We in La Liga have them, but only when it's very hot. Here, the pitches in Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta were air-conditioned and I had to wear a T-shirt in the stands. It was a lie, an advertising break. And then there was the Balogun case. This shows that we are governed by an institution that does and decides what it wants when it wants, pursuing only its own interests without considering the rest of football. And in many cases, it acts to the detriment of football.

Balogun is an extremely serious incident: they were lucky that Belgium eliminated the United States, otherwise there would have been a scandal that could have cost Infantino his job. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg.

"I think Infantino's time is up. But he has the support of the system, of the federations; there's not much more to add, is there? There is no candidate, because nobody wants to run to lose. This is the system and it's wrong from the start. He shouldn't stay, but the current situation ensures that he won't. In recent days here in America, I've heard a lot of people against Infantino. They say it, but then they don't do anything. I don't know which is worse, silence or complicity ," he concluded.