The European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe players union have initiated legal proceedings against FIFA, challenging the “saturated” and “unsustainable” international match calendar.
The lawsuit accuses FIFA of prioritizing its commercial interests over the welfare of players and national leagues, failing to uphold its responsibilities as a governing body. A significant point of contention is FIFA’s upcoming expanded Club World Cup in 2025, which will feature 32 teams and span four weeks in June and July. Additionally, a new annual competition, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, will replace the traditional Club World Cup each December.
The legal complaint alleges that FIFA has breached EU competition law and abused its dominant position as both regulator and organizer of football competitions.
“Following decisions by their respective executive bodies, European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe will jointly file a formal complaint to the European Commission on competition law grounds against FIFA regarding the international match calendar,” the statement read.
For years, leagues and player unions have urged FIFA to establish a transparent and fair process for the international match calendar. Their latest formal request was made before the FIFA Congress and Council in May 2024. Despite these efforts, FIFA has consistently excluded national leagues and player unions from its decision-making processes.
“The international match calendar is now beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and a risk for the health of players. FIFA’s decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglected its responsibilities as a governing body, and harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the welfare of players,” the statement continued.
National leagues and player unions, representing all clubs and players at the national level and regulating labor relations through collective agreements, cannot accept unilateral global regulations. Legal action is now deemed necessary to protect football, its ecosystem, and its workforce from FIFA’s unilateral decisions.
The complaint will argue that FIFA’s conduct infringes EU competition law and constitutes an abuse of dominance. FIFA’s dual role as both global regulator and competition organizer creates a conflict of interest, requiring transparency, objectivity, non-discrimination, and proportionality in its regulatory functions—standards which FIFA has failed to meet in the international match calendar.
The formal complaint, filed by European Leagues, La Liga, and FIFPRO Europe, will run parallel to separate actions by individual leagues and player unions at the national level. In June, the English, French, and Italian player unions brought a case to the Brussels commercial court.
European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe have already informed the European Commission of their decision and look forward to collaborating with the Commission, relevant public institutions, and football stakeholders throughout the investigation process.
