BRUSSELS — Amid a hectic soccer season marked by discussions of possible player strikes, the players’ union has joined forces with domestic leagues to challenge FIFA before the European Union. This complaint comes as part of an ongoing debate regarding FIFA’s introduction of new and larger men’s competitions.
FIFPRO, the European arm of the players’ union, in cooperation with the European Leagues group, has submitted a formal complaint arguing that FIFA is not properly consulting with stakeholders regarding its commercially-driven decisions.
This situation is the latest in a series of legal disputes facing FIFA, which has recently dealt with controversies surrounding the European Super League, new regulations for player agents, and issues regarding the global transfer market.
On the field, FIFA is set to kick off a 32-team Club World Cup next June and July in the United States, featuring twelve European teams. Furthermore, the upcoming 2026 World Cup, which will also take place in North America, will expand from 32 to 48 teams and will extend by an additional week.
The union and the leagues have expressed their concerns, stating, “The international match calendar is now beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and poses risks to player health.”
The complaint lodged with the European Commission targets FIFA’s management of the international match calendar, which designates protected dates for national team games. Clubs are required to release players chosen for these matches.
Interestingly, the complaint does not address UEFA, which has committed numerous players to additional competitive fixtures this season by expanding the Champions League, Europa League, and the Nations League, the latter of which has introduced a new playoff format.
Domestic leagues in Europe have found their scheduling more constrained due to the addition of four extra midweeks occupied by UEFA competitions from September through January.
The primary concern from the leagues relates to FIFA’s limited consultation with them during negotiations for the latest calendar set to run through 2030 for national-team games. This calendar often requires leagues to suspend lucrative weekend games.
FIFA has maintained that its attempts for discussions earlier this year were not pursued by the leagues.
The complaint submitted in Brussels, to the executive branch of the European Union, includes support from Spain’s La Liga and accuses FIFA of abusing its dominant position within soccer.
According to the complaint, FIFA’s dual role as both governing body and regulator puts it in conflict with its interests as a competition organizer.
In response, FIFA has pointed out the apparent contradiction in European soccer, where clubs generate revenue by playing lucrative off-season matches on a global scale, all while FIFA is tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding and promoting the game.