Fifpro and European Leagues File Complaint Against FIFA

Fifpro, the players’ union and the top European leagues have lodged a legal complaint against FIFA with the European Commission claiming the governing body has engaged in “abuse of dominance” regarding the international fixture calendar.  Representing 39 leagues and over 1,130 clubs across 33 countries, the European Leagues along with Fifpro argue that FIFA’s actions violate European competition law.

The Spanish La Liga while not a member of the European Leagues has also joined the complaint. This legal action follows ongoing disputes about the increasing number of games players must endure each season. In June, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) initiated a separate legal challenge against FIFA over the “overloaded and unworkable” football calendar.

The PFA and French players’ union specifically contested FIFA’s unilateral decisions to set the international match calendar and create the expanded Club World Cup scheduled for 2025. The expanded Club World Cup will feature 12 European teams and takes place in the U.S. from June 15 to July 13, 2025. FIFA maintains that it consulted relevant parties about the new calendar and insists it has the right to establish competition parameters.

However, players have voiced strong opposition with some like Manchester City’s Rodri suggesting a strike could occur over the increasing match load. FIFA has criticized leagues for prioritizing friendlies over competitive play while UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin acknowledged that the match calendar has reached its limits. Fifpro expects the European Commission to start a preliminary investigation into the claims.

This process could take up to 12 months. David Terrier of Fifpro stated that players are prepared to strike if their concerns are not addressed emphasizing the urgency for change in the current football landscape.