by Chris Moore
FIFA could once again soon find themselves in yet another legal battle. Soccer’s global governing body previously lost a case against European Super League organizers. They then faced another lawsuit regarding a policy that blocks league games from happening in other countries. FIFA officials, however, recently came to an agreement with promoters Relevent Sports Group on the issue. As a result of deal, Relevent had to drop their court case against the governing body.
While one case has been completed, another may be set to start. FIFPRO, the international players’ union, has teamed up with the World Leagues to threaten a potential lawsuit against FIFA. The point of contention surrounds the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States next summer. Officials previously revealed plans to expand the competition from seven clubs to 32.
UEFA will see the most teams feature at the tournament. Twelve European sides highlight the teams on display in the United States. CONCACAF, the hosting confederation, will have a total of five teams. Four of those are CONCACAF Champions Cup winners, such as the Seattle Sounders and Monterrey. Also, one additional MLS team will compete in the tournament.
The decision to expand the Club World Cup has not gone down well with the players and their union. There are concerns about player welfare and safety because of the added matches at a time when many players typically rest.
Not only has FIFPRO publicly condemned FIFA’s decision to expand the competition, but the World Leagues has now joined forces with the union. The World Leagues is a group that officially represents professional soccer leagues around the globe.
According to New York Times reporter Tariq Panja, the two groups have contacted the governing body to inform them that they have taken legal advice over the issue. Both FIFPRO and the World Leagues recently submitted a letter to FIFA executives asking them to make alterations to the expanded Club World Cup schedule or face potential time in court.
“Should FIFA refuse to formally commit to resolving the issues … at its upcoming council, we shall be compelled to advise our members on the options available to them, both individually and collectively, to proactively safeguard their interests,” the letter sent to the governing body reads. “These options include legal action against FIFA, on which we have now commissioned external expert advice.”
FIFA will now have to make a major decision in the coming months. Will they move forward with FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s wishes to heavily expand the competition and face the lawsuit? Or will the organization back down from its plans to avoid yet another potential legal headache?
FIFA’s final decision remains unclear. In all likelihood, it will be defiant in its approach. Nevertheless, player safety should be the top priority for the governing body. Injuries are increasing as players from top teams now play more games than ever. Not only have studies shown that injuries and physical fatigue are up, but mental health concerns are also on the rise as well.
FIFA is expanding the Club World Cup to essentially generate more interest and money in the tournament. Many soccer fans typically tend to skip the annual contest played in the middle of many regular season schedules. While moving the competition to the summer should help, very few seem to support expanding the contest to include 32 teams.
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