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Aug 4 : A Dutch football players’ group is preparing a “potentially billion-dollar” class action claim against FIFA and other football associations, seeking compensation over alleged loss of income due to restrictive transfer rules, it said on Monday.
The Dutch Foundation for Justice said world football governing body FIFA’s rules had affected approximately 100,000 players in European member states and the United Kingdom since 2002.
The foundation added that consultancy firm Compass Lexecon had estimated that damages could run into billions of euros, with the foundation’s board member Dolf Segaar telling Dutch news agency NOS that “it is a billion-dollar claim.”
The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) is among the associations to be named in the suit.
“This case is being brought in the Netherlands under the Dutch Act on the Settlement of Mass Damages in Collective Action (WAMCA), which allows this legal action to be launched by JfP on behalf of a large group of professional footballers,” it added.
FIFA and the KNVB did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.
The foundation added that a preliminary analysis from global economic consulting company Compass Lexecon estimated that professional footballers collectively earned around 8 percent less over their careers than they would have due to FIFA’s regulations.
“All professional football players have lost a significant amount of earnings due to the unlawful FIFA Regulations,” foundation chair Lucia Melcherts said in a statement.
“’Justice for Players’ is bringing this claim to help achieve justice for footballers and fairness.”
The foundation added that the case was launched following a ruling on French player Lassana Diarra, who was fined 10 million euros ($11.56 million) by FIFA for leaving Lokomotiv Moscow one year into a four-year deal.
In October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union said some of FIFA’s rules on player transfers went against European Union laws and free movement principles in the case linked to former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid player Diarra.
Following the ruling by the EU’s top court, FIFA in December adopted an interim framework concerning the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
The interim regulatory framework affects the calculation of compensation payable if there is a breach of contract and the burden of proof in relation to both compensation payable and an inducement to breach a contract.
Justice for Players said it will be advised by law firm Dupont-Hissel, founded by Jean-Louis Dupont.
Dupont is the same lawyer who took the landmark case of Belgian Jean-Marc Bosman, which in 1995 cleared the way for players in the European Union to move to other clubs at the end of contracts without a transfer fee being paid.
Dupont-Hissel also represented Diarra in his case against FIFA, with Dupont saying in 2024 that a judgment backing the player would be a milestone in modernizing football governance.
He added that it would allow players’ unions and club associations to regulate their employment practices.

RIYADH: Team Falcons has won the OWCS Midseason Championship at Esports World Cup 2025, becoming the first ever team to win the Jafonso award after qualifying to the tournament through the last chance qualifier.

Named after Joao “Jafonso” Vasconcelos, who, in 2024, was the first, and until now only, player to win an EWC tournament after qualifying through the LCQ, the award celebrates teams who arrive in Riyadh with no guaranteed place in the competition but go on to win the entire tournament.

The Korean roster of Team Falcons arrived in the organization’s home city having just missed out on qualifying to the main event in both the Champions Clash and the OWCS Korea Stage 2. Forced to enter the LCQ, Team Falcons were a favorite to make it to the main event given they are the reigning OWCS world champions, but with other major names such as ZETA DIVISION and Cold Metal in the mix it was not a guarantee.

However, Team Falcons would eventually win the LCQ in convincing fashion, and secure a place in the main event.

From there, Team Falcons eased through their group before taking down Geekay Esports and T1 in the playoffs to reach the grand final. There they faced-off against fellow Middle East organization Al-Qadsiah Esports, but made things look easy with a swift 4-0 victory to earn them the OWCS Midseason Championship title.

“Before this tournament, I had to remind myself I will bring this team back to the top,” said Kim “Proper” Dong-hyun, who earned the Sony MVP award for his performance throughout the event. “I think I proved myself. I am really grateful for it.”

Team Falcons earned 1,000 Club Championship points for their victory, which moves them back into first place in the Club Championship with 3,500 points. As they have now won a trophy at the Esports World Cup 2025, they are eligible to win the Club Championship should they top the table at the end of the event. As the defending champions, finally getting a win under their belt and becoming eligible for the trophy will be a big weight off the shoulders of everyone at Team Falcons.

Week five at the Esports World Cup 2025 takes place until Aug. 10 with finals across “Call of Duty: Warzone,” “EA SPORTS FC 25” and “Rainbow 6 Siege X.”