
FIFPRO Europe and European Leagues, representing European player unions and national leagues, together with LaLiga, have today filed a complaint to the European Commission against FIFA over its conduct concerning the imposition of the international match calendar, including decisions relating to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
Speaking to FIFPRO.org, FIFPRO Europe President David Terrier explains why the complaint is being made, as well as the timeline that has led to this decision.
FIFPRO: What exactly is the problem with the European football calendar?
David Terrier: Football in Europe is a success story. For generations, professional footballers have contributed to building a world-leading cultural and entertainment sector. However, today’s leading players face a threat to their health and wellbeing, and the future of the industry.
FIFA is failing in its mandate as global regulator by exploiting the international match calendar for its own commercial interests. This is the match schedule it is supposed to oversee for the good of the game. By cramming more matches into an already packed calendar, it is piling extreme mental and physical pressure on players across the biggest leagues. This not only poses health risks for players but also damages the national leagues that are the cornerstone of European football heritage.
What is the premise of the complaint to the European Commission?
The complaint explains that FIFA’s conduct with regards to the international match calendar infringes European Union competition law and constitutes an abuse of dominance and conflict of interest on the grounds that FIFA holds a dual role as global regulator of football and a competition organiser.
The complaint maintains that FIFA, in setting the match calendar, is abusing its dominant position, acting unilaterally, and without the necessary respect for the health and wellbeing of the players, or the competitiveness of the European footballing landscape.
FIFA's decisions over many years has 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.
Player unions and leagues file complaint to European Commission over FIFA's imposition of international match calendar
How did it come to this complaint?
Quite simply because FIFA has not engaged meaningfully with players or leagues on the calendar. FIFPRO and player unions have been raising the alarm about match congestion for more than five years, calling FIFA to implement minimum rest periods for players so they can recover sufficiently mentally and physically between seasons, and maximise their performance on the pitch.
The players at the top of the game have for years asked their unions to help protect them, but with no significant reaction from FIFA, we have no option but to take legal action. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and we would prefer it had not come to this.
What has FIFPRO Europe’s approach been throughout this period?
We have always been an open and transparent stakeholder, as seen by FIFPRO’s published research on player workload over the last five years. We have repeatedly sought to initiate a meaningful conversation with FIFA over the international match calendar.
When vice-president of the French player union UNFP, I co-signed a letter to FIFA in 2022 along with all the captains of Ligue 1 expressing our serious concerns about the health and wellbeing of players. We never received a reply. A similar letter was signed by team captains in the English Premier League and sent to FIFA by the PFA in England in 2021, with a similar outcome.
These were among many attempts to start a proper, open dialogue with our governing body. For several years, European Leagues have joined FIFPRO Europe in urging FIFA to develop a clear, transparent, and fair process regarding the international match calendar. The latest formal request was sent ahead of the FIFA Congress in May this year. Regretfully, FIFA has failed to include national leagues and player unions in the decision-making process.
What about FIFA’s announcement at the 2023 FIFA Congress to start a task force on player welfare?
Despite this announcement, there has been no progress over the last 18 months since. The task force has not been appointed and never met. In October last year, FIFPRO sought clarification about the task force from FIFA’s Deputy General Secretary, but we did not receive a response.
“By cramming more matches into an already packed calendar, it is piling extreme mental and physical pressure on players across the biggest leagues.”
— by FIFPRO Europe President David Terrier

It’s not just FIFA which is expanding its competitions. Why focus on them?
FIFA is responsible for setting the international match calendar. It is also football’s global regulator, the only one which can set global regulations. Therefore, FIFA has unparalleled power and influence over the calendar and rulemaking.
It is a very fair point to say that other competition organisers have sought to expand competitions for their own interests, but from FIFPRO Europe's point of view, we have had more willingness from UEFA to engage with us at a continental level than FIFA at a global level.
We are optimistic about working with UEFA to address what has become a serious situation for player health and wellbeing. We hope that FIFA will also start to work with us as soon as possible.
Why is FIFPRO Europe working with European Leagues?
We have joined forces because we have a vision for our sport that is based on the rights of social partners. This is a vision that sees competition organisers, leagues, clubs and players sit down together and negotiate the working conditions while respecting everyone’s legitimate interests.
National leagues and player unions, which represent employers and employees, and regulate labour relations through collectively agreed solutions, cannot accept that global regulations are decided unilaterally. This is why we have decided to take legal action, which we believe is the only responsible step to protect football, its ecosystem and its workforce.
What needs to happen to resolve the current impasse?
As we cannot sit and negotiate as social partners under the current status quo, we are asking the European Commission to endorse this right and force FIFA to recognise this right so that the status quo changes. This is why we have filed the complaint.
It is time for a new settlement in European football, where players and leagues have the same rights as stakeholders in other industries. We are asking FIFA to respect basic principles of the European Union such as the right to free and fair competition, the right to free movement, the right to health and safety in the workplace, and the right to collective agreements.
We hope that are legal action will ultimately lead to a healthier future for European football.