A group of Dutch professional football players is preparing a massive class action lawsuit against FIFA and football associations across Europe, demanding compensation for financial losses incurred due to restrictive transfer rules that have been in place since 2002, reports Baltimore Chronicle. According to estimates by consulting firm Compass Lexecon, the financial damages could reach billions of euros. The lawsuit will also mention the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB).
Dolf Segaar, a member of the foundation’s board, stated that the lawsuit could amount to a billion dollars. The Justice for Players (JfP) foundation will file the claim in the Netherlands under the Collective Redress Act (WAMCA), which allows the foundation to represent the interests of a large group of professional footballers. The foundation also noted that, according to an initial analysis by Compass Lexecon, professional footballers have lost an average of 8% of their potential earnings over the course of their careers due to FIFA’s current regulations. JfP’s head lawyer, Lucia Melchers, emphasized that FIFA’s rules are illegal and have led to significant financial losses for players.
The initiative was sparked by the ruling in the case of French player Lassana Diarra, who was fined €10 million by FIFA for leaving Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow a year after signing a four-year contract. In October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that some FIFA transfer rules violated EU law, specifically the right to free movement of workers, in connection with the case involving Diarra, a former player for Chelsea, Arsenal, and Real Madrid.
In December 2024, FIFA introduced temporary regulations concerning player transfers, but these rules only address cases of contract breaches. The foundation announced that their legal advisor will be the Dupont-Hissel firm, founded by Jean-Louis Dupont, who previously represented Belgian footballer Jean-Marc Bosman in his landmark 1995 case, which allowed players in the EU to move to new clubs after their contracts expired without transfer fees.
Earlier we wrote that FIFA agrees with players’ unions on new rest standards.
