European leagues and FIFPro lodge complaint against FIFA with European Commission
The organisers of European football leagues and the international players' union FIFPro have lodged a complaint with the European Commission against FIFA over the way the international match calendar is drawn up. The European leagues and FIFPro made the announcement in a press release on Tuesday.
In June 2025, FIFA is introducing an expanded version of its Club World Cup, with 32 clubs playing in a month-long tournament. The European leagues and FIFPro say this is in breach of EU competition law: "FIFA has a dual role as a global football regulator and a competition organiser. This creates a conflict of interest."
"For years, the leagues and players' unions have repeatedly called on FIFA to establish a clear, transparent and fair process regarding the international match calendar," the press release states. "Unfortunately, FIFA has consistently refused to involve national leagues and players' unions in its decision-making process."
Health risk
The European organisations say that the international match calendar is so saturated that it has become unsustainable for national leagues, which has led to a risk to players' health. A report by FIFPro in 2023, for example, concluded that the growing calendar leaves players with less time for rest and recuperation, and that they suffer from sleep deprivation as a result of constant travelling.
The increasingly busy football calendar has long been the subject of debate. While the summer was traditionally the time for players to recover from the previous season, modern football no longer has a true off-season. For example, the new Belgian football season starts on 26 July, just 12 days after the EURO 2024 final.
PHOTO © Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP
Related news
