Legal complaint filed against Fifa's 'abuse of dominance'

In a significant move that could reshape the landscape of international football, top European leagues alongside the global players' union, Fifpro, have lodged a legal complaint against FIFA, accusing the world's football governing body of "abuse of dominance". This unprecedented legal challenge highlights the growing tensions between FIFA and other major stakeholders in the game over recent years, primarily stemming from various regulatory, scheduling, and financial disputes. The complaint, filed with the European Commission, which acts as the executive branch of the European Union and oversees competition law, accuses FIFA of abusing its position at the pinnacle of global football governance. It alleges that FIFA's regulations and practices unfairly restrict competition and harm the interests of both the leagues and the players they represent. At the heart of the dispute is FIFA's recent proposals and changes to the international football calendar, including the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup and the proposed introduction of a biennial World Cup. Critics of these proposals argue that such moves would place an unsustainable burden on players, dilute the quality of domestic league competitions, and destabilize the established football ecosystem, which includes domestic leagues, continental club competitions, and international tournaments. The European leagues have been vocal in their opposition to FIFA's calendar change proposals, emphasizing the potential adverse effects on player welfare and the competitive balance within domestic championships. The increased number of games players would be required to participate in raises serious concerns about the risk of injuries, player burnout, and the general degradation of the game's quality. Fifpro,