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Players' unions and leagues report FIFA to the European Commission of abuse of dominant position

European leagues and footballers' unions have been up in arms. In an unprecedented move, they have taken FIFA to the European Commission, accusing it of abuse of power. The main reason: the tight competition calendar that is not only affecting the health of the players, but also the development of the national leagues. The protagonists in this war have been none other than the 33 leagues on the continent, including Spain's LaLiga with Javier Tebas at the helm, and FIFPro, the global players' union.

At the centre of the dispute is the role of FIFA, chaired by Gianni Infantino, which not only organises tournaments but also acts as the global football regulator. This, according to the complainants, is a conflict of interest that is having negative consequences on several fronts.

One of the biggest problems that the leagues and unions have pointed to is the overload of matches. With competitions such as the Champions League, the new and expanded Club World Cup and the Nations League, the number of matches that players have to play has reached worrying levels. In fact, there are players who could play close to 80 matches in a season. A clear example is the case of Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernández and Real Madrid full-back Dani Carvajal, both of whom have been sidelined with serious injuries after being subjected to these demanding workloads.

Injuries have become increasingly common in players who play matches with little time to rest. According to a report by FIFPro, many players have only 12% of the year to rest, which equates to less than one day off per week. This wear and tear is not only worrying from a physical point of view, but is also jeopardising players' mental health.

The conflict with FIFA and the position of Tebas

Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, has been one of the most critical of FIFA and UEFA. In his statements, he has not hesitated to point out that these institutions are misusing their power, exercising a monopoly over world football. Tebas demanded that the calendar be reviewed jointly by all parties involved and that the regulations be adapted to the current reality of the sport.

‘We sat down with the unions in Spain to agree on the calendar, and the same should happen at international level,’ Tebas said. He also regretted that football is being governed by rules that have remained unchanged for more than a decade, when the sport has clearly evolved.

Mathieu Moreuil, the Premier League's director of international relations, has also expressed his dissatisfaction. He said that despite having tried to open a dialogue with FIFA on multiple occasions, they have always received the same response: silence. ‘We have no days left in the calendar,’ he said, underlining the health risks for the players due to the accumulation of matches.

The Club World Cup: the straw that broke the camel's back

One of the most controversial points is the expansion of the Club World Cup, which will be held for the first time this summer in the United States. Twelve European teams will take part, and it will be held in June and July, directly affecting the national leagues, as many of their players will not have time to rest between tournaments. For the players, this extension is a nightmare. They will face an endless season, with hardly any rest days, increasing the risk of injury and fatigue.