Liga chief warns: Infantino's exit reveals deeper crisis

Le Liga president Javier Tebas publicly demanded that Swiss FIFA chief Gianni Infantino resign, arguing that the recent withdrawal of a privatisation proposal is merely the tip of an iceberg of deeper governance problems surrounding the Coupe du monde closing dinner on 18 July 2026.

Gianni Infantino attended the Coupe du monde closing dinner on 18 July 2026, an event captured in a FIFA photograph that has become emblematic of the controversy. The image has been repeatedly cited in discussions about FIFA's governance.

During that same occasion, Javier Tebas again targeted the FIFA president with sharp criticism, reinforcing his demand for resignation. His remarks highlighted concerns over transparency and decision‑making within the sport's global body.

Tebas wrote that Infantino must not move forward, noting that the FIFA withdrawal of its privatisation proposal is good news but would be a grave mistake to assume the governance issue is solved. He stressed that the governance crisis extends far beyond a single policy shift.

In a post on X, Tebas warned that confederations, associations, leagues and players should not settle for the withdrawal and consider the matter closed, emphasizing that the problem runs much deeper. He urged all football stakeholders to remain vigilant and demand comprehensive reforms.

He reminded stakeholders of earlier scandals, asking whether they have forgotten the revocation of a red card after political interference, the abandonment of prosecutions in historic FIFA corruption cases, and the scandalous World Cup ticket prices. These past controversies, he argued, continue to tarnish FIFA's reputation.

Tebas also condemned unilateral decisions on international match dates, new competition formats and other actions taken without genuine dialogue, stating the issue has never been merely a simple proposal. He claimed such unilateral moves undermine the collaborative spirit essential for the sport's development.

Concluding, he asserted that for all these reasons Gianni Infantino must not remain at the helm of FIFA, that football needs new direction, and that removing a proposal does not erase the broader problems – it is only the visible part of the iceberg. He called for a new leadership that would address the underlying structural flaws.