FIFA is facing an expanded legal complaint in Europe over allegations that its handling of the women’s international football calendar amounts to an abuse of its regulatory powers.
European Leagues, an organisation representing professional domestic leagues and more than 1,300 clubs across Europe, has extended an existing competition-law complaint against FIFA to cover the women’s international match calendar and related regulatory decisions.
The expanded complaint was formally submitted to the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission. European Leagues argues that FIFA faces a structural conflict of interest because it acts both as football’s global governing body and as an organiser of major competitions.
According to the organisation, FIFA’s regulatory decisions have increasingly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests at the expense of domestic leagues.
European Leagues also claims that women’s professional leagues have not been sufficiently involved in decisions affecting the international calendar. It argues that this approach could affect the growth and financial sustainability of women’s football while also creating concerns about player health and wellbeing.
The complaint is an extension of an earlier case filed over FIFA’s handling of the men’s international match calendar. That complaint focused on concerns about FIFA’s role in setting international schedules and the effect of major competitions on domestic leagues and players.
European Leagues says similar concerns now apply to the women’s game, particularly as the international calendar continues to develop alongside an expanding programme of club competitions.
One of the issues highlighted is the planned FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, which has been moved to January 2028. While the decision was intended to provide more preparation time and reduce pressure on players, European leagues have argued that the tournament could still disrupt domestic competitions in Europe.
FIFA, however, has rejected the criticism and expressed disappointment over the decision to pursue the legal route.
The world governing body said the women’s international calendar covering the 2026–2029 period was unanimously approved by the FIFA Council in May 2024 following research, analysis and consultation with relevant stakeholders.
FIFA also pointed to changes it says were designed to reduce pressure on players and clubs. The number of international windows was reduced from six to five, a move the organisation said would decrease travel and disruption to domestic competitions.
FIFA has maintained that dialogue remains preferable to legal escalation and said it remains open to reaching agreements with stakeholders in the interests of the sport.
The dispute comes at a time when women’s football is experiencing significant growth, with increasing investment, larger audiences and the expansion of professional competitions.
European Leagues has called on the European Commission to ensure that EU competition law is respected and that decisions affecting women’s professional football are not made unilaterally.
The European Commission’s handling of the complaint could therefore have wider implications for how international football calendars are established and how much influence domestic leagues have over decisions affecting their competitions and players.
For now, the dispute remains centred on governance, competition law and the balance between FIFA’s global responsibilities and the interests of national leagues.
Source: Thepressradio.com
