The Premier League has joined legal action against Fifa for risking footballers’ health by congesting the international fixture calendar.
The European Leagues organisation, which includes England’s four professional leagues, announced it will file a complaint to the European Commission on grounds of competition law.
The concerns focus on the expanded 32-team men’s Club World Cup, set to take place in the United States next summer, reportedly introduced after limited consultation with clubs and leagues.
When combined with the expansion to a 48-team World Cup from 2026 – a tournament held across three countries and 4500km – this means players will be asked to play more football than ever before.
Fifa had offered peace talks to allay concerns, but these have now evolved into legal action.
Players’ union Fifpro are joining the complaint with the European Leagues, saying: “For several years, the leagues and player unions have repeatedly urged Fifa to develop a clear, transparent, and fair process regarding the international match calendar.
“The latest formal request was sent ahead of the Fifa Congress and Council in May 2024. Regretfully, Fifa has consistently refused to include national leagues and player unions in its decision-making process.
“The international match calendar is now beyond saturation and has become unsustainable for national leagues and a risk for the health of players.
“Fifa’s decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglected its responsibilities as a governing body, and harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the welfare of players.
“Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem and its workforce from Fifa’s unilateral decisions.”
This new Club World Cup will take up the slot previously held every four years for the Confederations Cup, with Chelsea and Manchester City both confirmed to play in 2025.
Other teams set to compete include Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.
The 2025 tournament will take place between 15 June and 13 July, only two days shy of the slot used for Euro 2024.
The 32 teams will be divided into eight groups of four, in a similar format to the Champions League up to this season.
In response to the European Leagues and Fifpro’s announcement, Fifa said: “The current calendar was unanimously approved by the FIFA Council, which is composed of representatives from all continents, including Europe, following a comprehensive and inclusive consultation, which included Fifpro and league bodies.
“FIFA’s calendar is the only instrument ensuring that international football can continue to survive, co-exist, and prosper alongside domestic and continental club football.
“Some leagues in Europe – themselves competition organisers and regulators – are acting with commercial self-interest, hypocrisy, and without consideration to everyone else in the world. Those leagues apparently prefer a calendar filled with friendlies and summer tours, often involving extensive global travel.
“By contrast, FIFA must protect the overall interests of world football, including the protection of players, everywhere and at all levels of the game.”
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