Fifa accused of bullying in attempt to kill off multi-billion class action claim
FIFA allegedly bullied unions into dropping support for a multi‑billion class action claiming lost earnings, after a deal tied to a memorandum of understanding.Summary
Following the European Court of Justice’s Diarra ruling, Justice For Players is pursuing a mega claim that 100,000 footballers lost about 8% of their earnings over two decades due to FIFA’s transfer framework. FIFA is accused of bullying trade unions and the global union Fifpro into dropping public support for the case, after a memorandum of understanding was signed on the eve of the World Cup that gives FIFA a formal say in future regulation changes. Although FIFA settled with Diarra last month and announced transfer-rule reforms, Justice For Players says the settlement did not include compensation and that the MOU does not alter the Diarra judgment. The group expects a Dutch court hearing in early 2027 and believes FIFA’s conduct may still be used against the governing body in court.
(Source：City A.M.)