FIFA faces legal action over ‘abusive conduct’ towards women’s football
By Adegboyega Adeleye
FIFA is facing fresh legal pressure after European Leagues expanded its complaint against the world governing body to include what it describes as FIFA’s “abusive conduct” towards women’s football.
According to the BBC, European Leagues has extended its complaint to the European Commission to cover FIFA’s women’s international match calendar and related regulatory decisions. The organisation represents 53 professional divisions and 1,328 clubs across 34 countries.
The original complaint, filed in October 2024 by European Leagues, global players’ union FIFPRO and LaLiga, accused FIFA of abusing its dominant position by imposing changes to the international calendar without adequately involving national leagues and player representatives.
European Leagues said the latest submission raises the same concerns over FIFA’s approach to the women’s game, arguing that its decisions threaten the growth and financial sustainability of women’s professional leagues while risking player health and wellbeing.
The organisation also alleged that FIFA’s dual role as football’s regulator and competition organiser creates a conflict of interest, accusing the governing body of using its regulatory power to favour its own competitions and commercial interests at the expense of women’s football and European national leagues.
“The European Commission must now act to ensure that EU law is respected and that the future of women’s professional football is not determined unilaterally by FIFA,” European Leagues said.
FIFA has been approached for comment.
The latest complaint comes as FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces growing pressure over his leadership, following the collapse of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal to attract private investment into FIFA’s commercial rights.
The proposal was withdrawn on July 31 after opposition from UEFA and other regional governing bodies. UEFA has since sought evidence and documents in US courts for potential criminal proceedings in Switzerland involving Infantino and other FIFA officials. FIFA has described UEFA’s legal action as a “smear campaign”.
The dispute has intensified pressure on Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term as FIFA president in March 2027. UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation have pressured him to resign, while some national associations have also withdrawn their support for his re-election and bid.
The women’s football complaint therefore adds another dimension to the growing dispute over FIFA’s governance, with European Leagues and FIFPRO continuing to challenge the governing body’s control over the international football calendar.
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