International Match Calendar: FIFPRO Europe & its members take legal action against FIFA

"FIFPRO Europe member unions have today (13/06/2024) submitted a legal claim against FIFA, challenging the legality of FIFA's decisions to unilaterally set the International Match Calendar and, in particular, the decision to create and schedule the FIFA Club World Cup 2025," announced the professional football players' union on the same day.

"Player unions believe that these decisions violate the rights of players and their unions under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights while also potentially violating EU competition law. The English Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and the Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionnels (French players union) are, with the support of FIFPRO Europe, asking the Brussels Court of Commerce (BEL) to refer the case to the European Court of Justice (CJEU) with four questions for a preliminary ruling (see below)," explained the European branch of the global players' union.

Such legal action had been raised by FIFPRO and the World Leagues Association in a joint letter sent on 02/05/2024 to FIFA, claiming that the body "has continually and…