FIFA president Gianni Infantino has asked to resign after being accused of ‘destroying the football industry’

FIFA President Gianni Infantino (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) La Liga president Javier Tebas has again criticized FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying he should step down over decisions he says are damaging football. Tebas accused FIFA of putting commercial interests ahead of sport by expanding international tournaments and increasing match congestion. His latest comments come amid discussions about expanding the 2030 World Cup from 48 to 64 teams.Tebas said further expansion of the World Cup would damage domestic competitions, which he says are the backbone of football. “Increasing the number of national teams does not make sense. The football industry is not only the World Cup, which is the most important event. But not everything can revolve around the World Cup,” he told Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, as quoted by the AP news agency.He also called on Infantino to leave office, saying: “In my opinion yes, I think his time is up.” Tebas added that many people are privately opposed to Infantino but are not responding, saying: “He shouldn’t stay but he won’t leave…those who remain silent are perfectly aware of the damage that football will suffer.”Tebas also criticized FIFA’s hydration breaks and the extended 27-minute half time during the World Cup final, saying: “The hydration breaks are a lie… It was a lie – and just a commercial break.”

A group of fans joins the criticism

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) also condemned FIFA’s handling of the World Cup and called for major governance reforms. The group accused FIFA of putting commercial interests ahead of fans, pointing to high ticket prices, expensive travel, poor communication and changes to football traditions. The FSE claimed that the tournament damaged the reputation of both FIFA and the World Cup, concluding that “FIFA is not fit to govern global football” and accusing Infantino of putting financial and political interests before the future of the game.