Rabat – La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched a fresh attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accusing him of using football’s finances and governance to strengthen his own political position ahead of future FIFA elections.
In a strongly worded post on X, Tebas criticized a series of recent decisions taken by FIFA, arguing they point to a lack of transparency rather than genuine institutional reform.
The Spanish football executive questioned FIFA’s handling of disciplinary matters, referring to what he described as the withdrawal of a red card over alleged political interference.
He also cited a request from members of the US Congress seeking clarification over FIFA’s decision to drop accusations against former federation officials previously convicted in corruption-related cases.
Tebas turned his attention to FIFA’s financial plans, criticizing the governing body’s proposal to distribute more than $10 billion to member associations while exploring the possibility of bringing private investors into FIFA’s commercial rights and competitions.
“This does not look like reform,” Tebas wrote. “It looks like an electoral campaign financed with the future of football.”
The La Liga chief argued that football development programs should never be used as political leverage, insisting that FIFA’s competitions and commercial rights belong to the global game rather than to any individual.
“Development cannot be used to buy votes or silence opponents,” he said, adding that “FIFA’s competitions and commercial rights are not Infantino’s personal property.”
Tebas concluded by questioning Infantino’s leadership, arguing that mixing politics, disciplinary decisions, financial power, and governance without sufficient transparency undermines the credibility of football’s governing body.
“Infantino is not the solution to FIFA’s governance,” Tebas wrote. “He is the problem.”
His comments come amid growing debate within international football over FIFA’s expanding commercial strategy and its governance structure.
