La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched a scathing attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, urging him to step down after what he describes as a systematic erosion of football’s core values.
Tebas's attack on FIFA's reforms
He argues that Infantino’s push to broaden the 2030 men’s World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, and the introduction of hydration breaks and lengthened halftime intervals, are little more than commercial ploys that betray the sport’s traditions.
Tebas also points to the lack of dissent within football’s governing circles, saying Infantino enjoys the backing of a rotten system that includes continental federations and national associations.
Implications for the sport's future
The controversy extends beyond the tournament format; South American governing body CONMEBOL has echoed the call for expansion, proposing a 64‑team tournament that would be spread across six nations on three continents, a plan that would dramatically reshape the competition’s logistics and commercial landscape.
With Infantino set to seek re‑election for a fourth term at a vote scheduled for March 18 in Morocco, the outcome will likely determine whether the sport continues down a path of rapid expansion or re‑asserts its traditional structure.