Footballers Threaten FIFA Sue Over Transfer Rules

A group of current and former footballers is getting ready to take legal action against FIFA over its transfer rules.

The group, supported by a Netherlands-based organisation called Justice for Players (JfP), plans to file a class-action lawsuit asking for billions of euros in compensation.

The players believe that FIFA’s current transfer system has caused thousands of footballers to lose potential earnings. They say the system limits players’ rights and makes it harder for them to move freely between clubs.

The lawsuit, reported by the Daily Mail, is being prepared in the Dutch district court of Midden Nederland, which is known for handling large group cases fairly. JfP says up to 100,000 male and female players who have played in the United Kingdom or the European Union could be part of the legal action.

FIFA is not the only target. National football associations from France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands are also included in the lawsuit. These associations must respond by September. Although England’s Football Association is not named as a defendant, it has received a copy of the court documents.

If the case succeeds, it could lead to big changes in football. One of the possible changes is giving players more power, including the right to end their contracts without needing permission from clubs.

The legal action follows a major court ruling in October 2024 by the European Court of Justice (CJEU). That ruling found parts of FIFA’s transfer system violated EU laws on competition and free movement.

The case came from an earlier dispute involving Lassana Diarra, a former player for Chelsea and Real Madrid. Diarra had been punished by FIFA in 2014 after a contract issue with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. He later won a countersuit in European court.

JfP is working with Jean-Louis Dupont, the same lawyer who helped Diarra and was involved in the famous Bosman ruling in the 1990s, which changed how football transfers work in Europe. The group’s board also includes Franco Baldini, a former assistant to England coach Fabio Capello.