Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, has once again voiced his disapproval of FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup format, arguing that the competition poses a serious threat to domestic leagues—both economically and competitively.

Speaking at the Sports Summit in Madrid, Tebas didn’t hold back, specifically highlighting the potential impact of Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid reaching the latter stages of the 2025 tournament.

“The Club World Cup Distorts Domestic Competition”

“If Real Madrid or Atlético go far in the Club World Cup, we already have a problem because their LaLiga matches will need to be suspended,” Tebas stated.

He emphasized that reaching the semifinals of the tournament could result in prize money close to €100 million, which he believes creates a competitive imbalance with the rest of the league.

“We can’t allow certain teams to receive such enormous benefits without it affecting the economic and sporting ecosystem of LaLiga,” he added.

Criticism of FIFA and Warnings Over Oversaturation

Tebas also raised legal concerns about the tournament’s structure:

“The Club World Cup is being held in violation of the Super League ruling. There’s no regulatory framework that involves all stakeholders.”

He warned of calendar saturation and the toll it takes on player health:

“There are 60,000 professional players in Europe, and these competitions are breaking the ecosystem for the rest of football.”

Economic Risks and Decline in Local Engagement

Beyond sporting issues, Tebas criticized the model itself, saying it threatens the financial sustainability of smaller clubs:

“Pay TV providers need customer loyalty, and competitions like this could lead to lower player wages and financial instability for less powerful teams.”

He concluded with a firm stance on FIFA’s unilateral decision-making:

“The economic damage is huge. They can’t force us to reduce the number of teams or restructure our internal formats. National leagues must be respected.”

As the 2025 Club World Cup unfolds in the United States, tension between global ambitions and local priorities continues to escalate.