La Liga chief critical of 'complicit silence' surrounding Fifa

La Liga president Javier Tebas has criticized the "complicit silence" surrounding FIFA after US striker Folarin Balogun was controversially allowed to play in the 2026 World Cup despite receiving a red card. FIFA's disciplinary committee opted to suspend Balogun's one-game ban for 12 months, a decision that UEFA strongly criticized as "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable." However, Tebas noted that outside of Europe, there has been little criticism from football officials. Tebas called the Balogun decision the "tip of the iceberg" following years of events that have been "eroding the credibility of FIFA and football in general." He accused FIFA of being a closed shop where decisions are made before any vote and without consulting domestic leagues. Tebas stated that "much of the football world is aware of it, but too many prefer to maintain a complicit silence" because staying quiet is more comfortable than defending independence and transparency.