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The most powerful domestic league executive in football just lobbed a grenade at the sport’s governing body. La Liga president Javier Tebas accused FIFA of “destroying the football industry” in a blistering interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, calling for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down immediately.
The power struggle behind the pitch
Tebas’s core complaint centers on what he sees as FIFA’s relentless expansion of international competitions at the expense of domestic leagues. The specific flashpoint is a proposal to balloon the World Cup from the already-expanded 48-team format debuting in the 2026 tournament to 64 teams as early as 2030.
This isn’t a new fight for the La Liga boss. He previously pushed for the elimination of FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup by mid-2025, a battle he effectively lost.
And the math on opposition isn’t encouraging for Tebas. Over 200 of FIFA’s 211 member associations reportedly support Infantino for a fourth term. Tebas himself acknowledged that the absence of credible opposition makes another Infantino term essentially inevitable.
Follow the crypto money
The 2026 World Cup carries projected revenues of $9 billion, and a meaningful chunk of that is flowing from cryptocurrency partnerships. Kraken became FIFA’s first Official Crypto Exchange Supporter in June 2026, a landmark deal that positioned the exchange alongside traditional sponsors at the world’s most-watched sporting event. FIFA has also leaned into blockchain technology through FIFA Collect, which uses the Avalanche blockchain to create digital collectibles tied to the tournament.
What this means for crypto investors
Consider the fan token market. Projects like Chiliz have built entire ecosystems around the idea that fans want blockchain-based engagement with their favorite clubs and leagues.
There’s also a timing element. The 2026 World Cup is actively underway, meaning FIFA’s crypto partnerships are in their highest-visibility window right now. Tebas choosing this exact moment to escalate his rhetoric isn’t accidental. He’s leveraging the attention around the tournament to amplify his message, which means crypto sponsors are getting dragged into a governance fight they probably didn’t sign up for.
FIFA’s projected $9 billion revenue haul suggests the organization has more than enough financial muscle to weather criticism from domestic leagues.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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