A group of current and former footballers are reportedly set to take legal action against FIFA over the world football governing body’s current transfer rules.
The Justice for Players group (JfP) is believed to have launched a class-action lawsuit, seeking billions in compensation for individuals who have played in the United Kingdom or the European Union and have potentially missed out on earnings due to the current transfer regulations in place.
The Dutch-based group’s lawsuit is also against the football associations within France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands. They are said to have until September to respond.
JfP have claimed that up to 100,000 footballers from the men’s and the women’s game are involved in the case, which is being heard in the Dutch district court of Midden Nederland due to laws within the country being propitious to the size of the class action.
The FA in England are not said to be involved in the lawsuit, but they are believed to have been sent a copy of the letter.
The suit has the potential to lead to radical change in the sport, and could lead to players having the ability to terminate their own contracts.
JfP’s claim follows the European Court of Justice (CJEU) ruling that some of FIFA’s rules on player transfers are illegal in accordance with European Union legislation, during the Lassana Diarra case back in October 2024.
The former Chelsea and Real Madrid star was involved in a decade-long legal battle with the governing body, after he was ordered to pay 10.5 million euros (£8.8million) for a breach of contract with former side Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014.
FIFA also suspended Diarra for 15 months, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport upholding their claims, which in turn blocked a move to Belgian club Charleroi. This led to a countersuit from the former French international.
Diarra won the case with the CJEU, with the EU’s highest court claiming the transfer rules in place, which pertain to the freedom of movement between football clubs across borders, are contrary to European Union law on competition and freedom of movement.
The JfP, which has Franco Baldini, who was England assistant manager under Fabio Capello, on its board, are being advised by Diarra’s lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont.
Baldini said: ‘As a former professional footballer, agent and someone who has worked in football in various managerial capacities, I have had first-hand experience of how much control and power FIFA has over the players.
‘So I am very proud to be part of Justice For Players and to be part of something that could help change the existing system and make football more inclusive and more sustainable.’
Belgian lawyer Dupont is famous for the landmark Jean-Marc Bosman case, which changed regulations in 1995, allowing players in the EU to move clubs for free upon the expiration of their contract.’
