Tebas says FIFA needs a different vision from Al-Khelaifi

Javier Tebas has intensified his criticism of Nasser Al-Khelaifi, saying the Paris Saint-Germain president and European Club Association chairman would not be the right person to lead FIFA.

Al-Khelaifi has recently been mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Gianni Infantino in the 2027 FIFA presidential election. However, Tebas, the president of La Liga, said he did not believe Al-Khelaifi’s approach to football was compatible with the model he wanted to see at the head of the world governing body.

Speaking in comments reported by French outlet Foot Mercato, Tebas described Al-Khelaifi as someone who would be “a bad FIFA president”.

“I think Nasser would be better as president of Paris Saint-Germain, but he would not be a good president of FIFA. I do not like the way he views football; he does not operate according to the European model that I aspire to,” Tebas said.

The La Liga president also questioned how Al-Khelaifi represents the clubs within the European Club Association, which has about 800 members.

“Al-Khelaifi chairs the European Club Association, which includes around 800 clubs, but only a very small number of them are heard, and he is part of that group. He adopts an elitist model with which I do not agree,” Tebas added.

Tebas’s latest comments come only days after he called for Infantino to resign as FIFA president. His demand followed controversy surrounding Infantino’s proposal to establish a commercial company to sell part of the rights to the World Cup.

That plan was later abandoned, but it prompted further criticism of Infantino’s leadership and added to the debate over the future direction of FIFA.

Al-Khelaifi camp denies election plans

Although Al-Khelaifi’s name has been strongly linked with a possible challenge for the FIFA presidency, people close to him have firmly rejected the idea that he intends to enter the race.

The speculation has been fuelled by the support he is said to enjoy within UEFA and among several national football associations. Despite that backing, Al-Khelaifi’s representatives said he had no intention of seeking the position.

A spokesman for Al-Khelaifi said the Paris Saint-Germain president “has no ambition, intention or interest in becoming president of FIFA”.

They added that Al-Khelaifi would continue to support European and global football institutions “quietly and constructively”, rather than becoming involved in media campaigns or an election effort.

Infantino remains FIFA president, while the next election is scheduled for 2027. The possibility of Al-Khelaifi standing has therefore become a subject of growing discussion, even though those close to him insist he has no plans to pursue the role.

Tebas’s intervention places him firmly among the leading critics of both Al-Khelaifi’s football philosophy and the direction taken by FIFA under Infantino. His comments also underline the difference between the model he advocates for European football and what he described as an elitist approach represented by Al-Khelaifi.