La Liga: A Global Ambition with Goal-Line Technology and International Markets

In an exclusive interview with Expansion, Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, discussed the league’s future plans and its ambitions to expand globally. Tebas expressed his thoughts on playing official matches abroad and using goal-line technology to enhance refereeing standards.

Tebas acknowledged the challenges posed by competing leagues and emphasized the importance of innovation to maintain La Liga’s position as a premier football league. He highlighted why he believes it is crucial for La Liga to adapt and evolve by stating, “Other very competitive leagues are coming so we can’t always do the same thing, they would overtake us.”

Regarding playing official matches abroad, Tebas expressed his optimism about it happening in the 2025-26 season. He stated that tapping into international markets, particularly North America, is vital to solidifying La Liga’s position as one of the world’s top football leagues.

In terms of goal-line technology, Tebas addressed concerns about its effectiveness and cost. Instead of relying solely on this technology, he proposed increasing the use of cameras to assist referees. According to him, “Goal-line technology is not a perfect technology and that is the first reason we don’t have it.” However, he also highlighted that ghost goals happen three or four times per season and that it would be more cost-effective to implement more cameras to help referees make accurate decisions.