- The complaint to the European Commission about the match calendar explains that FIFA’s conflict of interest as a competition organiser and governing body, coupled with a lack of meaningful engagement with social partners, infringes European Union competition law
- The complaint focuses on the men’s International Match Calendar, including the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and FIFA World Cup 2026
- The oversaturated international football calendar risks player safety and wellbeing, and threatens the economic and social sustainability of important national competitions which have been enjoyed for generations by fans in Europe and around the world
FIFPRO Europe and European Leagues, representing European player unions and national leagues, together with LaLiga, have today filed a complaint to the European Commission against FIFA over its conduct concerning the imposition of the international match calendar, including decisions relating to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
The detailed and evidenced complaint was formally submitted to the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission.
The submission follows an extensive review of the case by lawyers acting for FIFPRO Europe and European Leagues, whose boards agreed to the legal action in July. It comes amid widespread concerns raised publicly by players about the impact an unsustainable football calendar has on their health, wellbeing and career longevity. FIFA’s behaviour also threatens the economic and social sustainability and stability of important national competitions which have been enjoyed for generations by fans in Europe and around the world.
Executives from FIFPRO Europe, European Leagues and LaLiga presented the details of the complaint at a news conference in Brussels today, outlining how FIFA holds conflicting roles as governing body and competition organiser, which give rise to a conflict of interest. They described the lack of due process and meaningful engagement from FIFA with players and leagues on calendar-related matters and how FIFA has used its regulatory power to promote its commercial interests at the expense of the social partners (players and leagues).
The complaint explains how FIFA’s imposition of decisions on the international calendar is an abuse of dominance and violates European Union law. Recent case law of the EU courts, including European Court of Justice rulings in the ‘Super League’ and ‘Diarra’ cases, makes clear that given its conflict of interest FIFA must exercise its regulatory functions in a way that is transparent, objective, non-discriminatory and proportionate so as to neutralise this conflict of interest. In this context, the inclusion of player union and league representatives in the decisionmaking process on calendar-related matters is legally essential. FIFA’s rules and conduct fall well short of what is required by EU law, and harm the economic interests of national leagues, and the health and safety of players in European football. A legal challenge before the European Commission has become a necessary course of action to safeguard the European football sector which is a global cultural and entertainment powerhouse.
FIFPRO Europe, European Leagues and LaLiga look forward to working closely with the European Commission, as well as relevant public institutions and football stakeholders, as it carries out a preliminary investigation into the complaint. The complainants reserve the right to submit further relevant information and evidence regarding the adverse effects that FIFA’s abusive conduct is causing for national leagues and players.
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