Javier Tebas’s stark call: Infantino must quit as scandal deepens

Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, issued a forceful letter on X demanding that Gianni Infantino resign, stating that "Infantino must not continue" amid the ongoing controversy surrounding FIFA’s aborted plan to privatise shares of its flagship competitions. Tebas warned that withdrawing the proposal does not resolve the deeper governance issues that have plagued the sport.

In the published letter, Tebas wrote that "Infantino no debe continuar" and praised the removal of the privatisation plan as a positive step, yet cautioned that treating it as a solution would be a grave error. He highlighted that the core problem lies in a governance model that concentrates power and marginalises key stakeholders.

The FIFA proposal was dropped after strong criticism from UEFA and other confederations, which had openly opposed the plan. Despite the withdrawal, several senior football officials continue to call for Gianni Infantino’s resignation, echoing Tebas’s stance.

FIFA’s top officer ousted after accusing Infantino of World Cup deceit

Tebas recalled a series of recent scandals to underline his point: the red‑card withdrawal after a political intervention involving Balogun of the United States during the Mundial, the US Congress investigation demanding Infantino’s testimony, historic corruption accusations, the scandalous World Cup ticket prices, and unilateral decisions on the international calendar, new competitions and formats made without genuine dialogue.

He argued that the issue is not a single proposal but a systemic governance flaw that reduces checks and balances. Consequently, Tebas asserted that world football needs new leadership to modernise governance, restore institutional credibility and involve all actors in decision‑making.

FIFA parts ways with COO Kevin Lamour after critique of Infantino

UEFA welcomed FIFA’s decision to scrap the privatisation plan, calling it a victory for football and urging an investigation into the originators of the scheme. The confederation’s statement reinforced the broader criticism that the current FIFA leadership has lost the confidence of many football families.

Looking ahead, Tebas’s message arrives as FIFA prepares for its 2027 elections, where Infantino is expected to seek re‑election. The LaLiga chief’s call for change adds pressure on the incumbent ahead of the vote.