Governing Bodies
LA LIGA CHIEF ACCUSES FIFA PRESIDENT OF SUPPORTING EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE
La Liga chief Javier Tebas has accused Fifa president Gianni Infantino of supporting the launch of a breakaway European Super League despite world football’s governing body being officially opposed to the project.
In an interview with AFP, Tebas called on Infantino to deny he is in favour of the controversial breakaway competition that would transform the landscape of European football.
Tebas claims Infantino has been “working on” and “encouraging” its formation and said Fifa’s president could even be given a role with the new league once it is set up.
When contacted by AFP, Fifa referred to its statement on Jan 21, which was signed by Infantino and said “such a competition would not be recognized by either Fifa or the respective confederation”.
Fifa added any club or player participating would be banned from competitions organsied by Fifa, such as the World Cup, although it is unclear if such a move would be legal.
Yet Tebas believes Infantino is in favour of a Super League and has even been helping clubs to organise it. “Fifa as an institution have been very clear but Infantino is not Fifa the institution, he is the president and he should clarify his position,” Tebas said in an interview with AFP and British tabloid The Sun.
“It is obvious that he has been involved in the meetings. He has been working on it and even been encouraging them to set it up. He is not against it,” Tebas added.
“He thought the project was good.”
When asked why Infantino would support a European Super League, Tebas said: “Maybe he has a position in this future Super League that he is going to take up. Otherwise I wouldn’t understand it.”
Documents containing details of the Super League, first reported this month by British newspaper The Times, proposed a 20-club tournament with 15 permanent members.
They would include the Premier League’s “Big Six”, as well as Real Madrid and Barcelona, with those clubs guaranteed billions of euros in revenue.
Tebas believes the documents show Infantino was involved in discussions.
“In the documents that we have there is the mention of a code name ‘W01’ which clearly refers to Mr Infantino. That is his code name,” said Tebas.
“So he should urgently clarify his position, his personal position, to explain exactly why he was at some of the meetings and encouraged the project at certain points in time.”
Infantino has championed a new, expanded 24-team Fifa Club World Cup which he has said would be “the best club competition in the world” as well as the most lucrative.
Tebas continued: “In the documents there are also certain dates being held back for the Club World Cup, which is so precious to Infantino.
“They have kept January free for the Club World Cup and even said who is going to be part of it.
“It is obvious that people involved like (Real Madrid president) Florentino Perez could not have those details if Infantino were against it.”
Real Madrid declined to comment.
In October, Infatino said he was “not interested’ in a European Super League but stopped short of confirming if he was for or against.
“If he comes out and says it’s not true and can prove it, I will apologise,” said Tebas.
“In football everyone knows everyone and we find out everything that’s going on. When I say something it is for a good reason. I know the truth.”
As the head of the Spanish league, Tebas has been one of the most vocal opponents of the Super League project, which he says has been driven by Perez at Madrid, as well as the American owners of Liverpool, Manchester United and AC Milan.
Barcelona’s outgoing president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, said in October the club had also signed up.
The loss of income from the pandemic has accelerated talks, after Madrid and Barca each posted total debts of around €1 billion (S$1.61 billion).
“Barcelona and Real’s financial situations are not great but they’re not so bad either,” said Tebas.
“The Super League is just an excuse they are looking for to set up this dream, the dream that Florentino Perez has had for years.
“But while I am in charge of the Spanish league it’s not going to happen, that’s my opinion.
“The whole system will be against it and it won’t just sit on its hands. It’s going to fight.”
–AFP
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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