Up to one hundred thousand soccer players may seek compensation
In a significant development for the world of football, the Dutch foundation Justice for Players (JfP) has initiated class action lawsuits against FIFA and several European football associations. The aim of these legal actions is to seek compensation for professional footballers who have played in the EU and UK since 2002, claiming they were financially harmed by FIFA's transfer rules.
The lawsuits, filed in the Dutch district court of Midden Nederland, are based on a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) last year, which declared certain FIFA transfer rules as violating EU law and the free movement of workers [1][2][3]. These rules, it is argued, significantly limited players' ability to terminate contracts, thereby diminishing their earnings by an estimated 8% over their careers [1][2][3].
The initial targets of these lawsuits are FIFA and football federations in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. However, the scope could potentially expand to include claims from around 100,000 players across Europe, making it one of the largest compensation claims in football history [1][2][4].
The law firm Dupont - Hissel, which represents former French football professional Lassana Diarra, is also involved in the organization Justice for Players [5]. The organization plans to file lawsuits against football associations in France, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, in addition to the ongoing action against FIFA and the German Football Association (DFB) [1][2][3].
The DFB has received a letter regarding international transfer regulations and is currently checking it internally [6]. FIFA has not responded to a request regarding the matter.
If successful, the financial impact on FIFA and national football associations could be substantial, with penalties and damages payments potentially running into billions of euros. This could severely affect football clubs, particularly in wealthy leagues such as Spain, Germany, and France, many of which operate at a loss and may struggle to handle immediate financial liabilities stemming from this legal action [4].
The progress so far includes the formal launch of the class action in early August 2025, with FIFA given a deadline to respond by early September 2025. Due to the complexity and scale, the case could take several years to reach court (potentially by 2029) if no out-of-court settlement is reached [4].
In summary, these class action lawsuits represent a landmark legal challenge to FIFA’s transfer system with potentially transformative consequences for player rights and the football economy in Europe, highlighting the enforcement of EU law over football regulatory practices [1][2][3][4].
[1] https://www.justiceforplayers.org/ [2] https://www.fifa.com/ [3] https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?language=en&text=&doccase=C-8/18 [4] https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52933250 [5] https://www.duponthissel.com/ [6] https://www.dfb.de/
- The community policy of the organization Justice for Players (JfP) includes vocational training and employment policy, aiming to provide legal assistance and support to professional footballers who have been financially harmed by FIFA's transfer rules.
- While the initial focus of the lawsuits is on FIFA and football federations in Europe, the potential expansion of claims to over 100,000 players could introduce sports like football to the world of vocational training, as impacted players may seek new career paths post their playing careers.
