Dutch Players’ Union Backs Legal Challenge Against FIFA Transfer Regulations

The Dutch professional footballers’ union, VVCS, has officially endorsed a class action lawsuit initiated by the Justice for Players Foundation (JfP) against FIFA and various European football associations. The lawsuit challenges FIFA’s transfer regulations, claiming they violate European Union laws, particularly the principle of free movement for workers.

This legal action follows a pivotal ruling by the European Court of Justice in October 2024, which declared that certain FIFA transfer rules unjustly restricted workers’ free movement. The ruling arose from the case of former French international Lassana Diarra, who faced a €10 million fine from FIFA after terminating his contract with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. This court decision has opened the door for further legal challenges to FIFA’s transfer system.

VVCS Chair Evgeniy Levchenko emphasized that the current transfer system unfairly disadvantages numerous players and that supporting this lawsuit aligns with the union’s goal of establishing a fairer transfer framework. Levchenko noted an increasing number of players reaching out to the VVCS due to transfer-related disputes, reflecting widespread frustration with existing restrictions.

The JfP-led class action aims to secure compensation for around 100,000 professional footballers across Europe who have been negatively impacted by these transfer regulations since 2002. Economists estimate that these restrictions have collectively cost players about 8% of their career earnings. The lawsuit seeks both financial reparations and structural reforms to replace punitive breach clauses with transparent and equitable transfer mechanisms.

The VVCS’s backing highlights a growing trend among players’ unions in Europe to contest FIFA’s transfer system, with similar support emerging from the French players’ union UNFP. The outcome of this lawsuit could significantly impact the governance of professional football, potentially leading to reforms that align better with European labor laws and athletes’ rights.