Tebas accuses FIFA president Infantino of ‘buying votes’ with commercial overhaul plan

La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched a fierce public attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accusing him of using the world governing body’s commercial plans and development funds to influence elections and silence critics.

In a strongly worded post on X, Tebas alleged that recent moves by FIFA over its competitions and commercial rights amount to “a campaign financed by the future of football”, rather than a genuine reform programme.

His intervention comes amid growing tension in Europe over FIFA’s intention to establish a new investment vehicle to attract private capital into its commercial rights and competitions – a project that has sparked anger within UEFA and even talk in some European countries of a possible World Cup boycott.

Tebas questions FIFA discipline and US inquiry

Tebas began his broadside by highlighting a series of recent controversies around FIFA and its president.

“In less than a month, Gianni Infantino pulled out a red card under suspicion of political interference,” he wrote, in an apparent reference to disciplinary action taken by FIFA in a political context.

He then pointed to moves in the United States, adding: “After that came a request from the US Congress to clarify the reasons for FIFA dropping accusations against former members of the federation who were convicted of corruption, among other things.”

Tebas did not specify which case he was referring to, but used it as part of a wider argument that FIFA’s governance and disciplinary decisions are being drawn into political and legal scrutiny.

Claims of billions in promises and private investors

The La Liga chief then turned to FIFA’s financial plans, accusing Infantino of making huge funding pledges to member associations while preparing to open the door to outside investors in key assets.

“And now, FIFA promises to provide more than $10bn, and even $20m more for each federation, while it prepares to bring investors from the private sector into its rights and competitions,” Tebas wrote.

For Tebas, those commitments are not evidence of reform.

“This does not look like reform. It looks like an election campaign financed by the future of football,” he continued, suggesting the money on offer is linked to political support for Infantino’s leadership.

He insisted: “Development cannot be used to buy votes or silence opponents. FIFA competitions and its commercial rights are not Gianni Infantino’s personal property.”

‘Infantino is the problem’

Tebas ended his message with his most severe criticism, claiming that Infantino should not be in charge of the organisation he leads.

“Anyone who mixes politics and discipline and money and influence without transparency cannot lead anything,” he wrote.

“Infantino is not the solution for FIFA governance, he is the problem.”

European anger over FIFA investment vehicle

Tebas’s comments come against the backdrop of deepening disquiet in Europe over FIFA’s strategy to reshape the way it exploits its rights.

FIFA is working on plans to launch a new investment entity designed to attract private investment into its commercial portfolio. Reports around Europe have suggested this has provoked significant anger within UEFA and led to escalating tensions between European football leaders and FIFA.

According to those reports, frustration over the proposal – and over what critics see as Infantino’s increasingly centralised control of FIFA’s decision-making and finances – has become so intense that some European nations have raised, at least as a warning, the possibility of boycotting future World Cups.

Those threats have not materialised into formal action, but they underline the seriousness of the rift between sections of European football and FIFA’s current leadership.

Tebas, who has long positioned himself as one of Infantino’s most outspoken opponents in European football, has now used that backdrop to renew his attacks, casting the FIFA president as a leader who is blurring the lines between politics, money and governance at the top of the global game.