European Football Leagues and Player Unions to File Formal Complaint Against FIFA Over Congested Schedules

PARIS — On Tuesday, European soccer leagues and player unions announced their intention to file a formal complaint with the European Commission regarding FIFA’s decision to add new competitions to an already congested fixture schedule.

This legal action supports warnings issued to FIFA in May by European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe, which criticized FIFA’s decision-making process as “inherently abusive.” Their concerns stem from the expansion of the men’s World Cup and Club World Cup.

The move comes in the wake of a December ruling by the European Court of Justice, which found that FIFA and UEFA had abused their dominant positions as regulators and competition organizers in a case initiated by clubs that attempted to create a breakaway Super League in 2021.

“Regretfully, FIFA has consistently refused to include national leagues and player unions in its decision-making process,” European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe stated.

FIFA responded, accusing some European leagues of acting with “commercial self-interest, hypocrisy, and without consideration to everyone else in the world.”

The European Commission, based in Brussels, serves as the executive arm of the 27-nation European Union and has the authority to address alleged breaches of competition law.

“FIFA’s decisions over the last years have repeatedly favored 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,” said European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe.

They further argued that the international match calendar is “beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and a risk for the health of players.”

FIFA manages the calendar of international games and tournaments, mandating when clubs must release players for national team duties. Top-tier leagues, which pause their weekend schedules for national team fixtures, have long claimed they were not fully consulted on the latest calendar version, which extends to 2030.

“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,” FIFA countered.

The complaint to the European Commission, supported by Spain’s La Liga, will assert that “FIFA’s conduct infringes EU competition law and notably constitutes an abuse of dominance.” The leagues and unions argue that this creates a conflict of interest, necessitating that FIFA exercise its regulatory functions transparently, objectively, non-discriminatorily, and proportionately.

The first editions of FIFA’s revamped men’s competitions will be hosted in the United States. The 2026 men’s World Cup will feature 48 teams, up from 32, with 104 total games instead of 64. Players on teams reaching the semifinals will play eight games in a tournament spanning nearly six weeks across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

The U.S. will also host a relaunched Club World Cup next June-July, featuring 32 teams — including 12 from Europe, such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich — playing up to seven games each.

UEFA’s Champions League is also expanding, adding more teams and games. In upcoming seasons, 36 teams will each play at least eight matches in a new format, reducing midweek fixture options for domestic and cup organizers.

FIFA noted that member clubs of European leagues often undertake offseason tours involving extensive global travel. “By contrast,” FIFA stated, its duty is to “protect the overall interests of world football, including the protection of players, everywhere and at all levels of the game.”

Source: AP