.png)
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has escalated his public opposition to FIFA's newly expanded Club World Cup, labelling the competition “completely absurd” and calling for its outright abolition. Speaking at the ESADE Business School in Madrid, Tebas reiterated his belief that the tournament is damaging the broader football ecosystem and unsustainable in its current format.
“My objective is that there will be no more Club World Cups. I’m very clear about that,” Tebas said during a panel discussion, adding: “There is no room for it. There is no need for another competition that moves money towards the [same] clubs and players. The model affects the entire ecosystem of national leagues, especially in Europe, and there’s no more money in the world of audiovisual rights.”
This isn’t the first time Tebas has criticised FIFA’s plans, but his tone has sharpened as the first edition of the month-long, 32-team Club World Cup plays out across the United States. The competition, which features top clubs such as Manchester City, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Juventus, has struggled to draw large crowds, with many matches reportedly played in front of half-empty stadiums.
Tebas questioned the value of the new format, especially given its timing at the end of an already demanding season. “We have to maintain the ecosystem we have already and eliminate it. Keep [the Club World Cup] as it was before, when it was played basically over one weekend and that was that. There are no available dates.”
Asked whether he had watched any of the tournament, Tebas offered a scathing assessment: “I saw a bit of the Chelsea game and it looked like a preseason friendly. I didn't see any intensity, at least for the 25 minutes I watched.”
His remarks echo growing concerns around player fatigue and fixture congestion. FIFPRO, the global players’ union, has called for mandatory four-week off-season breaks, and the demands of the expanded Club World Cup appear to directly conflict with these recommendations.
Tebas’ frustration is amplified by the involvement of Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid – two of LaLiga’s biggest commercial and sporting assets – in the Club World Cup. Barcelona, meanwhile, did not qualify, but are focused on reinforcing their squad this summer.
As FIFA pushes ahead with the current edition of the Club World Cup, the rift between football’s global governing body and domestic league authorities like LaLiga appears to be widening. For Tebas, the priority remains clear: preserving the integrity and sustainability of European domestic football—even if that means scrapping FIFA’s grand plans.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram / @javier.tebas, Instagram / @fifa
