Leagues to sue Fifa over 'abuse of dominance'

The planned expansion of the Club World Cup has upset player unions

The top European leagues, including the Premier League, and global players' union Fifpro will launch legal action against world governing body Fifa over its "abuse of dominance" in the game.

The European Leagues, which represents 39 leagues and 1,130 clubs in 33 countries, says it is filing a complaint to the European Commission to protect the welfare of players.

It comes following growing pressure from leagues and player unions, including the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), over the number of games added to the calendar and the impact on players.

A Fifpro statement said the international calendar is "now beyond saturation", "unsustainable for national leagues" and a "risk for the health of players".

It added: "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."

The statement said Fifa has "consistently refused to include national leagues and player unions in its decision-making process", having been urged to develop a clear and transparent process regarding the international match calendar.

The European Leagues includes the English Football League, Scottish Professional Football League, Serie A and the Bundesliga. La Liga is not a member but is joining the action.

In May Fifa rejected a claim that Fifpro and the World Leagues Association were not consulted over plans to host a 32-team Club World Cup.

Manchester City and Chelsea are among the 12 European representatives at the expanded Club World Cup, to be held in the USA between 15 June and 13 July 2025.

'Leagues are acting with hypocrisy'

Fifa has responded strongly to the action, accusing some leagues of "hypocrisy" by sending their players on global pre-season tours.

A Fifa spokesperson said: "The current calendar was unanimously approved by the Fifa Council, which is composed of representatives from all continents, including Europe, following a comprehensive and inclusive consultation, which included Fifpro and league bodies.

"Fifa's calendar is the only instrument ensuring that international football can continue to survive, co-exist, and prosper alongside domestic and continental club football.

"Some leagues in Europe - themselves competition organisers and regulators - 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.

"By contrast, Fifa must protect the overall interests of world football, including the protection of players, everywhere and at all levels of the game."

A recent study by the CIES Football Observatory - a research group at the International Centre for Sports Studies - on schedules and player workload suggested that clubs are not playing more matches per season.

Its report found that between 2012 and 2024, the average number of fixtures per club and season sat at just over 40, with about 5% of clubs playing 60 or more games per season.

No significant change was observed in the proportion of clubs playing 60 or more matches.

The European Leagues' legal action is the second in two months against Fifa.

The PFA is a co-claimant with the French and Italian players' unions in a claim filed at the Brussels court of commerce, with the support of the European office of Fifpro.

That case focuses on employment law issues, the way Fifa manages the calendar, the introduction of new competitions and how they clash with employment rights for players.

"Fifa holds a dual role as both the global regulator of football and a competition organiser," Fifpro said. "This creates a conflict of interest."

What does the PFA say?

Maheta Molango, chief executive of the PFA and FifPro board member, said in May that players were at breaking point and could strike if they continue to be overworked.

Because of the expanded Club World Cup, next year's African Cup of Nations has been moved from the summer to December 2025 and January 2026, which is also likely to impact that season's Champions League knockout stages.

"Legal action is the unfortunate but inevitable consequence of major stakeholders within the game - the leagues and the players - being ignored," said Molango.

"It's just not tenable to continue to argue that this approach to the fixture calendar is working.

"As always, it's the players who are expected to bend. As we have seen, eventually they will break. It has to stop."

Analysis - A united front between leagues and unions

Nick Mashiter, BBC Sport football news reporter

This is the nuclear option. It is the red button the unions and leagues hoped not to press but they feel they have been left with no alternative.

Unions, by reputation, do not need to be asked twice to fight for the rights of their members but that fact the leagues - including the Premier League - are backing this action makes it significant.

The threat of legal action has been spoken about in football circles for over a year and there is now a united front, one the Professional Footballers' Association wanted to ensure before progressing.

Fifa's response and argument against accuses some clubs of hypocrisy - taking their players around the globe on summer tours - while also saying Fifpro is consulted over the calendar so expect a strong defence from the world governing body.

Yet there is a determination from all the complainants to follow both cases through if a resolution outside the courts is not found. Unions and leagues want to see a change from Fifa and, if not, this will go the distance.