LaLiga chief Tebas resigns to call new elections, seeks 4th term

La Liga president Javier Tebas announced his resignation on Wednesday in order to call new elections, where he will try to win a fourth consecutive term.

Tebas’ resignation comes as no surprise, with the Spaniard having held the position since 2013 and his four-year term is due to end on December 23.

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The process of electing a new president lasts about a month and was brought forward to avoid any conflict with the presidential elections of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which will take place in the first quarter of 2024.

Tebas said in a social media post: “A few minutes ago I submitted my resignation as president of @LaLiga before the end of my term, which ended on December 23. A new process election will open in which I will present myself, I will therefore ask for the support and confidence of the clubs to meet the challenges that present themselves.

The 61-year-old is unlikely to face competition as he is said to have the backing of the presidents of clubs in Spain’s first and second divisions. He ran unopposed in the 2013 and 2019 elections.

Tebas worked to strengthen the finances of the country’s first and second division teams and pushed for La Liga to match the economic strength of the Premier League.

He has also made great efforts to increase La Liga’s visibility around the world, signing long-term deals with ESPN to broadcast matches in the United States.

Tebas strongly criticized the purchasing power of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain and accused “public football clubs” of breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.