AMSTERDAM, Aug 4 — A Dutch players’ rights organization is spearheading a potentially billion-euro class action lawsuit against FIFA and various football associations, alleging that restrictive player transfer rules have unfairly suppressed professional footballers' earnings for over two decades.
The Dutch Foundation for Justice for Players (JfP) announced Monday that it has launched legal action in the Netherlands, citing the Dutch Act on the Settlement of Mass Damages in Collective Action (WAMCA). The foundation claims FIFA's rules on player mobility have resulted in widespread financial harm to roughly 100,000 players across the EU and the UK since 2002.
📉 Estimated Career Earnings Loss: 8%
According to a preliminary analysis by global consulting firm Compass Lexecon, players have earned approximately 8% less over their careers due to FIFA's current transfer regulations. That lost income could amount to billions of euros in damages, the foundation said.
“This is a billion-euro claim,” said Dolf Segaar, board member of the foundation, in comments to Dutch news outlet NOS.
The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) is among the football associations expected to be named in the lawsuit. FIFA and KNVB have not yet responded to media inquiries.
⚖️ Triggered by Landmark EU Court Ruling
The legal action follows a pivotal ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in October 2024 in a case involving French footballer Lassana Diarra. Diarra was fined €10 million by FIFA for terminating his contract with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow just one year into a four-year agreement.
The ECJ found that several FIFA transfer regulations violated EU law and principles of free movement, setting a new legal precedent. In response, FIFA adopted an interim framework in December 2024 addressing compensation calculations and the burden of proof in breach-of-contract cases.
⚖️ Bosman Lawyer Leads Legal Team
The lawsuit is being led by Dupont-Hissel, the law firm founded by Jean-Louis Dupont, a key figure in the landmark Bosman ruling of 1995. That case revolutionized European football by allowing players to leave clubs without transfer fees upon contract expiration.
Dupont also represented Diarra in his recent case against FIFA, calling the ruling a "milestone in modernizing football governance." He argues that this legal momentum could finally open the door for players' unions and clubs to fairly regulate employment standards.
💬 “Justice for Players”
“All professional football players have lost a significant amount of earnings due to the unlawful FIFA Regulations,” said Lucia Melcherts, chair of the foundation. “Justice for Players is bringing this claim to achieve fairness and financial justice for footballers everywhere.”
The case could mark a historic shift in player rights and governance within professional football, with possible ripple effects across global leagues and associations.
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