European Leagues to take legal action against FIFA over match calendar

Players union FIFPRO and the European Leagues have accused FIFA of ignoring concerns over the calendar

Some of the best players in the game such as Kevin De Bruyne have previously expressed their frustration in the past over the sheer quantity of football played.

The next huge tournament to be revamped is the Club World Cup, where 32 teams across the world will compete next summer.

At international level, there is also the Nations League, the World Cup and continental championships always to play for.

As a result of all this football preventing much time for rest, players union FIFPRO and representatives from European Leagues have decided to launch legal action, alleging in fact that FIFA have ignored their issues.

A joint statement from the two organisations read:

"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.

"For several years, the leagues and player unions have repeatedly urged FIFA to develop a clear, transparent, and fair process regarding the international match calendar. The latest formal request was sent ahead of the FIFA Congress and Council in May 2024.

"Regretfully, FIFA has consistently refused to include national leagues and player unions in its decision-making process.

"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.

"Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem and its workforce from FIFA’s unilateral decisions.

"The complaint will explain that FIFA’s conduct infringes EU competition law and notably constitutes an abuse of dominance: FIFA holds a dual role as both the global regulator of football and a competition organiser."

FIFA issue response

FIFA have responded to the legal action claims stating:

"Some leagues are acting with commercial self-interest, hypocrisy, and without consideration to everyone else in the world. Those leagues apparently prefer a calendar filled with friendlies and summer tours, often involving extensive global travel."