FIFPRO's Claim Against FIFA Over the FIFA Club World Cup 2025

What is the FIFA Club World Cup 2025?

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is a newly established tournament featuring clubs from the AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC, and UEFA confederations. This competition, set to take place in the USA during June and July 2025, will gather 32 of the most successful club teams from around the world.

While the announcement of this tournament has generated excitement among many football enthusiasts, there are significant concerns regarding its implications for player rights and welfare. FIFPRO has filed a claim against FIFA in the Brussels Court of Commerce, requesting that the case be referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for a preliminary ruling. FIFPRO challenges the legality of adding another international competition to the players' schedules.

Response

Various player unions, including FIFPRO, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), and the French player union, argue that the tournament violates players' rights and EU competition law. The core of their argument rests on the provisions of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which guarantees workers and their trade unions protection from forced or compulsory labor, freedom of work, the right to negotiate and conclude collective agreements, the right to healthy working conditions, and the right to an annual period of paid leave. These unions believe that the decision to schedule the Club World Cup 2025 during the players' traditional rest period, without consultation or agreement with the players, constitutes a clear violation of these rights.

FIFPRO contends that no collective agreements were made with all social partners. The decision by FIFA to unilaterally impose the tournament is seen as incompatible with the principles of freedom of work and human dignity. According to FIFPRO, the lack of negotiation and agreement with the players' representatives disregards the essential rights in EU law, particularly the rights to negotiate and conclude collective agreements and to enjoy healthy working conditions and annual leave.

Questions Raised

Four key questions have been raised by FIFPRO: -

1. Player Rights and Annual Breaks: Does the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, particularly Articles 5, 15, 28, and 31, prohibit FIFA from scheduling the Club World Cup 2025 during the traditional annual break period, against the formal representations of player unions?

2. Collective Bargaining: Does the unilateral imposition of such a decision by FIFA infringe on the players' rights under Article 28 of the Charter to collectively bargain over their employment terms and conditions?

3. Healthy Working Conditions: Is the right to healthy working conditions, guaranteed by Article 31, violated by FIFA's decision to impose a significant additional workload through the Club World Cup 2025?

4. Competition Restrictions: Do FIFA’s unilateral decisions regarding the International Match Calendar and the Club World Cup 2025 lead to “restrictions of competition” under Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)?

FIFA’s Response

FIFA has dismissed FIFPRO's demand to reschedule the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, describing the debate as "futile." As of now, FIFA has not provided any comments on the recent claim filed by FIFPRO.