FIFPRO and European leagues to sue FIFA over match schedule

Brussels. European leagues and FIFPRO Europe will file a joint criticism with EU antitrust regulators towards FIFA’s worldwide match calendar, the sporting physique and gamers’ union introduced on Tuesday, escalating their standoff with world soccer’s governing physique.

The transfer by the 2 organisations comes after gamers’ unions from England, France and Italy filed a lawsuit towards FIFA over the identical subject final month in a Brussels business courtroom.

The criticism to the European Fee, which acts because the EU’s competitors watchdog, is predicted to be filed within the coming weeks, in keeping with an individual with direct information of the matter.

The European leagues and FIFPRO Europe have mentioned that the worldwide match calendar is already overcrowded and has grow to be unsustainable for nationwide leagues, in addition to posing a well being danger to gamers.

FIFA mentioned the present calendar was unanimously accepted by the FIFA Council following in depth session, which included FIFPRO and the league our bodies.

“The FIFA calendar is the one instrument that ensures that worldwide soccer can proceed to outlive, co-exist and prosper alongside nationwide and continental membership soccer,” a FIFA spokesman mentioned.

“Some leagues in Europe – that are themselves organisers and regulators of competitions – are performing out of economic self-interest, hypocrisy and disrespect for the remainder of the world. These leagues apparently want a calendar filled with friendlies and summer season excursions, which regularly contain in depth journey around the globe.”

The European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe additionally claimed that FIFA’s choices in recent times have repeatedly favoured its personal competitions and business pursuits and uncared for its duties as a governing physique.

“The criticism will clarify that FIFA’s conduct infringes EU competitors regulation and, particularly, constitutes an abuse of a dominant place: FIFA performs a twin position as international soccer regulator and as competitors organiser. This creates a battle of curiosity,” they mentioned.

Final yr, FIFA introduced that the 2026 World Cup will characteristic 104 matches as an alternative of the normal 64, because of the expanded format with 48 collaborating groups.