In a strategic move aimed at streamlining the 2024 electoral process, Javier Tebas, the head of the President League, submitted his resignation. This action clears the way for the elections to be held without delay, as Tebas seeks to secure a fourth consecutive term while continuing to lead the club employers’ association. With no opposing candidate anticipated to challenge his re-election, the path to a renewed mandate looks unusually smooth.
The resignation, noted by Relevo, is seen as a calculated step designed to prevent any overlap with the election of the new president of the RFEF. Tebas’ current mandate would have expired within about a month, on December 23, making a year-end timing particularly convenient for all involved.
Support from the majority of clubs in the top two divisions is substantial. Fourty or so votes are the norm in this setting, and with most First and Second Division clubs aligned, the electoral field appears to be effectively settled. Even though the relations between FC Barcelona and Athletic have tempered in recent months, Real Madrid remains the only major club that could pose a direct challenge to Tebas.
Latest elections in La Liga
Historically, Tebas faced no opposition in the December 2019 elections, and his earlier leadership began after a prior election in 2016 when Alex Aranzabal failed to secure the eleven endorsements needed to launch a candidacy. Tebas has led LaLiga since clinching victory in 2013, following the tenure of José Luis Astiazaran, a former president of Real Sociedad.
Forecasts from Tebas and his team suggest re-election, with a term that could last anywhere from two weeks to a month, depending on whether other candidates enter the race and how claims regarding timing are resolved. In 2019, Tebas was re-elected within 21 days of his resignation, before beginning a new four-year term.
As the current cycle unfolds, a decision about Tebas’ return to office for another four years is anticipated for December 21, with the exact date usually announced in due course. The timing also intersects with a potentially pivotal European decision concerning the legality of a European football framework and the broader implications for competition governance, a matter that drew attention from influential figures in the sport.
What does the LaLiga statute say?
Following Tebas’ resignation, the LaLiga statute provides that a selection commission be formed by lot, comprising five clubs — three from the first division and two from the second. This body is entrusted with initiating the process and must formally call for elections within three days after its composition, with the election scheduled to occur within the week.
During the selection period, the two vice presidents of LaLiga, Miguel Angel Gil Marín (Atletico Madrid) and Quico Catalan (Levante), together with the legal director, María José López Lorenzo, possess the powers that legally correspond to the president. Tebas will need backing from eleven clubs to formalize his candidacy, a threshold that ensures a clear consensus. In the unlikely event that another candidate emerges, clubs will need to choose definitively which candidate to support.
All of this unfolds within a framework that emphasizes transparency and orderly succession, with the aim of maintaining stability across the professional football landscape in Spain while respecting the opinions of member clubs and the rules that govern club governance.