European Court of Justice ruling states central parts of FIFA’s player transfer rules are incompatible with European Union law. The clauses in Article 17 are the foundation of the current transfer system and have impeded the career of numerous players. The ruling is not only important for Lassana Diarra – FIFPRO will analyse what it means for active and retired players.

This is a story about a player who joined a foreign club. After only one month, the club wanted the player to terminate his contract. When he refused, the club put him under pressure with unlawful and abusive behaviour. The player remained resilient, got what he was legally owed, and now wants to share his experiences anonymously to help other players.

FIFPRO notes with concern the recent decision of arbitrators at the Court of Arbitration for Sport that raises the possiblity of unscrupulous behaviour by “phoenix” football club owners.

Today’s decisions by the European Court of Justice present an important moment to strengthen the role of player rights in sport and reaffirm the solidarity-based European football pyramid.

FIFPRO is appalled by the employment situation of professional footballers in Romania and the lack of urgency shown by the country’s football association (FRF) to find adequate solutions for this disturbing situation.

FIFPRO wants to remind clubs and professional football players that it is prohibited to exclude players from the first team through coercive methods.

FIFPRO has alerted FIFA to a bogus settlement in a dispute between Egyptian club Zamalek SC and football player Benjamin Acheampong.

FIFPRO is deeply concerned about unilateral decisions by the K-League to impose changes to the pay and conditions of professional footballers.

South African player union SAFPU arranged better legal protection for professional footballers when it signed a new collective deal with their country’s league and football association (SAFA).