Javier Tebas has torn into Gianni Infantino over FIFA’s recent moves on its commercial rights and competitions, decisions that have provoked widespread anger across Europe. The LaLiga association president took aim at the head of world football’s governing body in a blistering public statement.
Tebas wrote on X: “In less than a month, Gianni Infantino pulled out a red card over suspicion of political interference, and after that came a request from the US Congress to clarify the reasons why FIFA dropped charges against former members of the federation convicted of corruption, among other things.”
He added: “And now, FIFA promises to provide more than 10 billion dollars, and even 20 million dollars extra for each federation, while it prepares to bring private sector investors into its rights and competitions.”
The attack did not stop there. “This does not look like reform. Rather, it looks like an electoral campaign funded by the future of football,” Tebas said.
“Development cannot be used to buy votes or silence opponents,” he went on. “FIFA’s competitions and its commercial rights are not Infantino’s personal property.”
His message ended with a damning verdict: “Whoever mixes politics, discipline, money and influence without transparency cannot lead anything. Infantino is not the solution to FIFA’s governance, he is the problem.”
Tebas’s remarks land amid mounting controversy over FIFA’s plansto launch a new investment entity aimed at drawing private money into its commercial rights. Reports point to real anger inside UEFA, and the crisis has now escalated to the point where some European nations are hinting they could boycott the World Cup, in protest at the way Infantino runs the international federation and his new plans.