La Liga president Javier Tebas has delivered another broadside against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, declaring that the “Infantino era is over” and accusing the Swiss administrator of “destroying the very essence of football.” In remarks published after an interview with Le Monde, Tebas called for a genuine overhaul of football’s global leadership, suggesting that the sport’s biggest problem may no longer be what happens for 90 minutes on the pitch, but what happens around the boardroom table.
The timing has added fuel to an increasingly bitter power struggle. Infantino has confirmed that he intends to seek another term as FIFA president, with the next FIFA presidential election scheduled for 18 March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. Meanwhile, UEFA and several European football associations have intensified their criticism of his leadership, turning what might once have been dismissed as football politics into a serious governance battle.
Tebas Wants More Than a Change of Faces
Tebas insists his criticism did not begin with the latest controversies. He argues that Infantino’s management style has long threatened the position of national leagues, accusing FIFA’s leadership of placing too much emphasis on elite interests and commercial expansion. In the satirical version of football’s latest soap opera, Tebas appears to be telling the game’s administrators that changing the nameplate on the office door will not be enough if the furniture, rules and occupants remain exactly the same.
His demand is therefore larger than simply asking Infantino to leave. Tebas says any reform must be “genuine”, arguing that football cannot be reduced to a collection of elite competitions controlled from the top. His remarks come as UEFA continues to oppose FIFA proposals involving commercialisation of major competitions, including a previously discussed plan concerning private investment in the World Cup.
FIFA Pushes Back as Football’s Political Season Begins
The pressure on Infantino has grown beyond Tebas. UEFA has publicly questioned his leadership, while Norway’s football federation has called for him to step down. FIFA, however, has rejected what it describes as attempts to undermine its president through allegations, insinuations and misinformation, insisting that leadership should ultimately be determined through established democratic processes involving FIFA’s member associations.
Another controversy has complicated the political battle. UEFA confirmed that a “departure payment” was made to a former female employee who had been linked in reports to Infantino during his time as UEFA general secretary. Infantino has categorically denied the allegations concerning the alleged relationship, while FIFA has also rejected the claims. The dispute has consequently become another flashpoint in a much wider confrontation over Infantino’s future.
For now, the football itself continues while the administrators prepare for what could become one of the most consequential FIFA leadership battles in years. With Infantino seeking re-election, European opposition growing and powerful football regions still backing him, Tebas’s declaration that the “Infantino era is over” may prove either a prediction or simply another opening whistle in a very long political match. OGM News FC will continue to watch the developing battle, because in this particular contest, the final whistle is nowhere near yet.Research note:
The report above treats the supplied material as the source’s scoop, while distinguishing allegations from established facts. Current reporting confirms Tebas’s comments, FIFA’s defence of Infantino, the UEFA dispute and Infantino’s declared intention to seek re-election in 2027.
