The EU’s top court said on Friday some international football rules regulating player transfers are contrary to the bloc’s laws, in a landmark decision that could shake up the system.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) was called on to decide a long-running dispute between former French footballer Lassana Diarra and FIFA over what happens when players unilaterally terminate their contract.
In a highly anticipated verdict, judges found that by restricting a footballers’ ability to seek further employment, current FIFA rules hinder the EU’s free movement and competition between clubs.
“The Court holds that all of those rules are contrary to EU law,” it said.