FIFA will ‘ruin football’ at the World Cup, says Spanish football boss | World Cup 2026 news

In a scathing interview, La Liga president Javier Tebas says FIFA chief Gianni Infantino’s time is “over”.

The president of the Spanish football league, Javier Tebas, has accused FIFA of acting “recklessly” following the announcement of the 64-team World Cup in 2030, in an interview with the Italian sports daily.

Tebas also said that FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s term is “over” in an interview published in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday.

He complained about the way FIFA’s leadership is chosen, calling it a “very bad system”, which has allowed Infantino to lead world football’s governing body for a decade.

“The business of football is not only about the World Cup, although it may be important,” he said.

“They are destroying the football industry – which brings thousands of jobs – in an event that lasts 40 days and affects only a few players.”

At the opening ceremony of the National Committee in June, Infantino mentioned “negotiations for the expansion of 64 teams” for the 100th anniversary of the World Cup in 2030, which will be held mainly by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, while Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina are also hosting matches.

“We have repeatedly expressed our concerns about the competition calendar. And now they want to organize a National Committee of 64 teams,” said Tebas, stressing that “it is the domestic games that keep the game alive”.

“We need fewer national teams and better security for the international game. They don’t realize this and are making careless decisions,” added Tebas.

FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment following La Liga’s Tebas claim.