The Diarra Judgment: What Consequences for Player Contracts According to FIFPRO Europe?

With the summer mercato just around the corner, FIFPRO Europe has published an explanatory note on the implications of the Diarra ruling handed down by the CJEU on 4 October 2024. In this respect, the European division of the international footballers’ union considers that players who decide to unilaterally break their contract, even without “just cause”, between two seasons, do not have “to fear FIFA's disciplinary and financial reprisals”.

Legal Background: The Context of the CJEU’s Preliminary Ruling

The case originated in a long-standing dispute involving French midfielder Lassana Diarra and Lokomotiv Moscow. After Diarra unilaterally terminated his contract in 2014, FIFA’s transfer regulations allegedly prevented him from joining a new club, sidelining him for a full season. The Belgian Court of Appeal of Mons submitted preliminary questions to the CJEU regarding the compatibility of certain FIFA rules with EU Law.

The CJEU Diarra ruling found that key provisions of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players...

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