Fifa accused of ‘abusive conduct’ towards women’s football in legal complaint | OneFootball

An official legal complaint against Fifa has been broadened to challenge its "abusive conduct" towards women’s football in Europe.

The case was first lodged with the European Commission in October 2024 by European Leagues, an umbrella group whose members include the Premier League and Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

The action states Fifa abused a dominant position under EU competition law by failing to consult properly over the 2023 men’s international match calendar.

Having added 14 women’s leagues in June - including England’s Women’s Super League (WSL) and the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) - European Leagues has extended the complaint to cover the impact on the women’s international calendar.

A media release issued by European Leagues on Tuesday said: "European Leagues is extending the scope of its complaint to the European Commission about the international match calendar to include Fifa’s abusive conduct regarding the women’s international match calendar and related women’s football regulatory decisions.

"Fifa’s conduct threatens the growth and financial sustainability of women’s professional leagues, and risks player health and well-being.

Infantino has also been accused of breaching political neutrality rules in dealings with Donald Trump (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

"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.

"The submission details the same pattern of conduct identified in the original complaint: Fifa holds conflicting roles as governing body and competition organiser, which gives rise to a conflict of interest.

"As in men’s football, Fifa consistently uses its regulatory power to favour its own competition and commercial interests to the detriment of women’s football and of European national leagues."

A Fifa spokesperson said: “The Fifa Council unanimously approved the women’s international match Calendar 2026-29 at its meeting held on May 15 2024.

“The four-year women’s international match calendar was backed by extensive research, analysis and consultation with key stakeholders, including with European and global leagues, with the impact on players at the heart of its design. Highlights of the calendar include a decrease in the number of international windows from six to five, reducing travel for players and disruption for domestic leagues and clubs.

“Fifa believes in the power of dialogue as opposed to legal action and escalation, and our doors always remain open to reach agreements in the best interest of football. As a matter of fact, a landmark agreement reached with Fifpro earlier this year enabled groundbreaking reforms to the global transfer system, jointly adopted in full consensus with all football stakeholders.

“As the women’s global landscape continues to grow and broaden, Fifa is committed to expand and identify emerging stakeholders in anticipation of the conversations that will begin on the next iteration of the March calendar. Likewise, Fifa remains committed to sustaining investment, creating new competitions with attached prize monies, and development initiatives in our member associations.

“While Fifa is disappointed by European Leagues’ approach, we have not been officially notified about the extension of its complaint and we are therefore not in a position to comment further.”

The legal escalation comes with its president, Gianni Infantino, under fire from three continental confederations over a controversial, now-abandoned plan for private investment in a company running World Cup events. The proposal foresaw Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) being established, with 20 per cent owned by private investors.

Tuesday’s statement noted the FFE controversy "further exposed this structural conflict (between FIFA’s position as a regulator and commercial operator) and vividly illustrates how profit-driven motives taint FIFA’s regulatory decisions and decision-making processes".

The European Commission has been contacted for comment.

Meanwhile, rights group FairSquare has submitted a new complaint about Infantino to the investigatory chamber of Fifa’s ethics committee.

Backed by over 100,000 supporters of its ‘Reboot Fifa’ campaign, it alleges Infantino breached political neutrality rules in dealings with US president Donald Trump - citing the Folarin Balogun case at this summer’s World Cup - and criticises his handling of the FFE scheme.