The president of the Spanish football league, Javier Tebas, accused FIFA of acting ‘irresponsible’ following the announcement of discussions regarding a possible 64-team World Cup in 2030, in an interview with an Italian sports daily published on Tuesday.
Tebas also said that Gianni Infantino’s time as FIFA president was over, telling La Gazzetta dello Sport that there is a system that is fundamentally flawed, which has allowed him to lead football’s global governing body for a decade.
“The football industry is not just about the World Cup, however important it may be,” he said.
“They are destroying the football industry, which generates tens of thousands of jobs, for an event that lasts 40 days and involves only a minority of players,” he added.
At the World Cup opening ceremony in June, Infantino mentioned ‘discussions about expanding to 64 teams’ for the World Cup’s centenary in 2030, which will be co-hosted primarily by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina also hosting some matches.
“We have repeatedly expressed our concerns about the competition calendar. And now they want to organise a 64-team World Cup,” Tebas further added, emphasising that it is the domestic leagues that keep this sport alive.
“We need fewer national teams and better protection for domestic football at all levels. They don’t realise the implications and are making decisions irresponsibly,” Tebas continued.
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