What is happening with refereeing and federation control?
The idea has lingered in the minds of key figures and their teams for a long time. Now, amid the Negreira case, Javier Tebas has pushed the topic onto the clubs’ agenda with a push to defend referees. This development came to light during LaLiga’s Extraordinary Convention scheduled for April 15, as reported by EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA from the Prensa Ibérica group.
Tebas argues that removing referees from the federation structure would secure their independence. He and his allies have long believed that the heart of the problem lies in a system where the Technical Referee Committee answers to the federation, and where the Competition Board holds the power to verify decisions at the core of the process.
A large majority supports Tebas, with 42 LaLiga clubs backing his stance. Yet, Real Madrid and Barcelona are not aligned with this approach. In practice, implementing Tebas’s proposal remains a distant goal given current realities and ongoing governance dynamics.
What does the law say?
The new Sports Act, approved by Congress and the Senate just before Christmas, outlines in its article the relationships between federations and referees across sports. It specifies the inclusion of an arbitration body that oversees official competitions, in line with the requirements of the relevant international federation. The institution must be affiliated with the corresponding Spanish sports federation and derived from the regulations issued by international bodies. This framework is intended to clarify governance structures and ensure accountability across organizations. (Source: legislative text and parliamentary summaries.)
Within this framework, the FIFA statute, article 14.1, section g, requires member federations to establish a commission of arbitrators directly affiliated with the federation. In practice, this could press federations to have a referees’ governance body accountable to an entity other than the federation itself, prompting a shift in oversight and administration.
Premier’s arbitration model
LaLiga is commonly compared to the Premier League model. Since the UK professionalized refereeing in 2001, the governing body of referees has been managed by the relevant national association—the British Federation—overseeing the Premier League and the English Football League, which administers the three tiers below the top flight.
The distinction lies in how that system was established: acceptance and active participation of the national federation, rather than a unilateral shift. Spain has not shown signs of adopting a similar arrangement while the current leadership remains under discussion. Skeptics in Las Rozas have argued that the existing arbitration framework serves the needs of the sport, and they view any change as unlikely while the federation’s leadership remains unresolved. (Context: governance debates around refereeing oversight and national federation authority.)
Laporta’s comments
During the Extraordinary Board meeting where this topic is set to be discussed, clubs reportedly agreed that the new season could involve semi-automatic offside technology as a pilot for video arbitration. LaLiga’s aims include addressing broader governance concerns while pursuing improvements to officiating through modern technology.
LaLiga has indicated it intends to hear statements from club presidents, though skepticism remains about expectations for leadership changes. The Barcelona president is seen as a critic of Tebas, while the Real Madrid president is viewed as cautious about any immediate upheaval. Meanwhile, Club chairmen have not yet appeared as private prosecutors in the Negreira case, despite earlier statements. (Attribution: club officials and public board discussions.)