Football: European Commission Complaint against FIFA Extended
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
It has been announced that the complaint, which was submitted by the top European Leagues and FIFPro, the global players' union, against FIFA to the European Commission in October 2024 regarding the men’s international match calendar, announced in 2023, has been extended to the women’s game.
The European Leagues, which represents 53 professional divisions, including the English Premier League, and 1,328 clubs in 34 countries, claims that FIFA abused its dominant position under European Union (EU) competition law regarding the women's international match calendar and related women's football regulatory decisions.
In a Statement, the European Leagues alleges that:
"FIFA’s conduct threatens the growth and financial sustainability of women's professional leagues, and risks player health and wellbeing …. [and] …. [t]he European Commission must now act to ensure that EU law is respected and that the future of women's professional football is not determined unilaterally by FIFA.”
And adds that:
"The submission details the same pattern of conduct identified in the original complaint - Fifa holds conflicting roles as governing body and competition organiser, which gives rise to a conflict of interest. As in men's football, FIFA consistently uses its regulatory power to favour its own competition and commercial interests to the detriment of women's football and of European national leagues."
The European Leagues admitted 14 women's divisions as members in June 2026, including the Women's Super League and the Scottish Women's Premier League.
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