Class action launched against FIFA today

The Justice for Players Foundation (“JfP”) has officially launched a class action in the Netherlands aimed at challenging the practices of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and several national football associations, including the Football Association of the Netherlands. This legal initiative seeks to represent professional football players, both men and women, who have played for clubs in member states of the European Union and the United Kingdom since 2002, claiming compensation for financial losses attributed to FIFA’s restrictive regulations on contract termination and player transfers.

The class action follows a significant ruling from The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in October 2024, which deemed the FIFA Regulations unlawful in a case initiated by former player Lassana Diarra and international players' unions FIFPRO Europe/FIFPRO World. By stating unequivocally that FIFA’s rules were unlawful and that these regulations had caused financial losses for all players, the CJEU has paved the way for this Europe-wide class action. Lucia Melcherts, Chair of JfP, highlighted the substantial earnings lost by players, stating: “All professional football players have lost a significant amount of earnings due to the unlawful FIFA Regulations.”

Employing the Dutch Act on the Settlement of Mass Damages in Collective Action (WAMCA), JfP aims to represent an estimated 100,000 affected players. The legal action will be managed by Netherlands-based law firm Finch Dispute Resolution, specialists in collective actions, with advice from Dupont-Hissel, the firm that represented Diarra. The action is fully funded by Deminor, ensuring that participating players will bear no financial risk. The unlawful nature of the FIFA Regulations, which restrict player movement and impose unjust financial burdens, is already established in the CJEU decision.

The impact of these FIFA rules is considerable; economists estimate that professional footballers have potentially earned 8% less over their careers due to the restrictive regulations. JfP Board Members have expressed their commitment to promoting fairness within football. Franco Baldini stated: “I have had firsthand experience … of how much control and power FIFA has over the players.” Dolf Segaar emphasised the necessity of this legal action, insisting that “footballers can assert their rights as EU workers and receive compensation from an organisation that for far too long has willingly ignored the rule of EU law.”

This landmark legal battle represents an essential step towards upholding the rights of footballers, challenging systemic issues within the sport, and seeking to establish a more equitable working environment within the football industry. For further information about the class action and how to participate, interested parties can visit www.justiceforplayers.com