FIFA Under Fire: New Legal Battle Could Reshape Global Transfer Rules | OneFootball

Over 100,000 players seek compensation after landmark European court ruling

FIFA Under Fire: New Legal Battle Could Reshape Global Transfer Rules

The FIFA transfer system's under intense scrutiny after Dutch organization, Justice for Players launched mass class action lawsuit demanding compensation for what it calls "illegal transfer regulations" that have harmed players careers since 2002.

What Sparked the Crisis?

The lawsuit's based on European court ruling from Oct 2024 in favor of former French international Lassana Diarra. The court found that certain FIFA rules violated European law especially those related to player transfers & financial penalties.

Diarra’s move to Charleroi collapsed after leaving Lokomotiv Moscow, due to sanctions imposed on him. The case highlighted the long standing burden placed on players by FIFA’s regulatory framework.

Widespread Impact & Demands

Justice for Players claims that over 100000 footballer across Europe & the UK were negatively affected losing up to 8% of their annual income due to restrictive fifa policies.

The lawsuit targets not only FIFA but also the football associations of France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands under the principle of "joint responsibility"

Board member Dolf Segaar warned that the compensation claims could amount to billions of dollars emphasizing the legal basis for holding multiple organizations accountable.

The European division of FIFPRO, the global players union has publicly backed the lawsuit. It described the creation of Justice for Players as direct response to the European court’s judgment and pledged full support in securing fair compensation for those affected.