Fatshimetrie, the global alliance of players, has joined forces with European national leagues to lodge a formal complaint against FIFA with the European Commission in Brussels. The joint action highlights the growing challenges surrounding the management of the football calendar and highlights the fragility of FIFA’s dominant position as football’s governing body.
At a press conference in Brussels, representatives of players’ unions from France, Italy and Norway, as well as the Belgian, English and Spanish leagues, expressed their concerns about FIFA’s lack of consultation on crucial issues such as the competition calendar.
David Terrier, President of FIFPro Europe, stressed that players are feeling exhausted and lacking time to recover due to the overloaded calendar. The complaint aims to ensure closer collaboration between football’s various stakeholders, with the aim of protecting the interests of players and national competitions.
La Liga president Javier Tebas added that FIFA was acting unilaterally by introducing new formats and expanding competitions, without considering the impact on the wider football ecosystem.
The move comes after FIFA faced legal challenges over reforming players’ agents’ fees and regulating the international transfer system. Criticism has also been levelled at FIFA’s decision to stage a 32-team Club World Cup, which would add to the already overcrowded player calendar.
High-profile players such as Alisson, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Kylian Mbappé have expressed concern about the fatigue and increased risk of injury associated with the overload of competitions. Their voices, supported by unions and leagues, reflect a collective awareness of the challenges related to player health and well-being.
FIFA has acknowledged the complaint filed with the European Commission and announced the opening of a global dialogue on transfer rules following a recent court ruling. However, the world football governing body appears to be facing a unified front of criticism, stressing the need to rethink the calendar and competitions in order to preserve the integrity of the game and the welfare of its key stakeholders, the players.
In conclusion, this complaint filed by FIFPro and the European leagues highlights the growing tensions around football governance and raises critical questions about the sustainability of the current model. It is imperative that all stakeholders work together to find viable and balanced solutions, in the interest of football as a whole.