European Leagues Expand Legal Battle Against FIFA Over Women's Match Calendar

Pressure on FIFA continues to mount as President Gianni Infantino remains under scrutiny regarding previously aborted proposals to sell stakes in FIFA competitions. A formal legal complaint against FIFA has now been expanded to address its alleged "abusive conduct" toward the women's game across Europe.

Initially filed with the European Commission in October 2024 by the European Leagues umbrella group—which counts the Premier League and Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) among its members—the complaint argues that FIFA abused a dominant position under European competition law by failing to adequately consult with leagues over the men’s international match calendar announced in 2023.

Having formally welcomed 14 European women’s leagues to its membership in June of this year, including England's Women’s Super League (WSL) and the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL), the organization has now broadened the legal action to encompass the impact on the women’s international match calendar.

A media release issued by European Leagues stated that the scope has been extended to include FIFA’s abusive conduct regarding the women’s international match calendar and related regulatory decisions. The statement warned that FIFA’s actions threaten the growth and financial sustainability of women’s professional leagues while putting player health and wellbeing at risk, urging the European Commission to take action so that EU law is respected.

The submission highlights that FIFA maintains conflicting roles as both the governing body and a competition organizer, creating a structural conflict of interest. According to the complaint, FIFA consistently utilizes its regulatory power to benefit its own commercial interests at the expense of women’s football and European national leagues.

While FIFA has been approached for comment, it has previously maintained that the calendar revealed at its 2023 Congress followed extensive consultations with all stakeholders, including various leagues. FIFA has also asserted that it holds the right to set the parameters for its competitions, such as the Club World Cup, provided they remain within the agreed framework.

This escalation in legal pressure coincides with continued criticism of Gianni Infantino from three continental confederations regarding his controversial and since-abandoned plan to secure private investment for a company to operate the men’s and women’s World Cups and other FIFA competitions. The initiative, which envisioned a 20 percent private stake in a company named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was highlighted by European Leagues as further evidence of the structural conflict between FIFA's regulatory and commercial roles.