Football players’ unions from 17 European countries, including France, Italy, and the Netherlands, have withdrawn their support for a collective legal action against FIFA after reaching an agreement on reforms to football’s governance framework and transfer regulations.
The decision follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding between FIFA and FIFPRO, the global football players’ union, on 10 June. The agreement, which will remain in force until the end of 2031, grants players a formal role in global football decision-making for the first time and establishes a Global Social Dialogue Platform based on the principles of collective bargaining.
The collective lawsuit was initiated in August 2025 by the Dutch foundation Justice for Players. The claimants argued that FIFA’s restrictive transfer regulations infringed players’ freedom of movement and suppressed their wages. The case emerged following a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union that found aspects of FIFA’s transfer rules incompatible with EU law.
In a joint statement, the players’ unions said that the newly adopted reforms to the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) address their principal concerns. As a result, they no longer consider institutional support for the legal action necessary. However, individual players remain free to pursue compensation through legal proceedings if they choose.
FIFA had previously announced that, in early June, it reached an out-of-court settlement with Lassana Diarra the former Chelsea, Arsenal, and Real Madrid midfielder whose legal challenge triggered the case.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
