Why the EU avoids tackling Big Soccer
A languishing complaint against FIFA highlights the European Commission’s reluctance to take on sports antitrust cases.
The European Union's antitrust authorities have refrained from investigating the world soccer governing body, FIFA, despite a complaint lodged by the European Leagues professional soccer association. In October 2024, the European Leagues alleged that FIFA abused its dominant position by imposing its international match calendar on other sports stakeholders.
The complaint expanded to include the women's game, but the European Commission has yet to launch formal proceedings. Brussels has left the European Leagues' complaint in limbo, with officials citing the sports sector's special status in EU law and a deliberate policy choice to avoid controversial cases. Pressure is mounting for the Commission to use its antitrust powers to curb FIFA's behavior, as EU lawmakers have urged the Commission to take action.
The issue of FIFA's dominant position and its potential conflicts of interest, particularly in the scheduling of international matches, has raised concerns about the organization's regulatory powers and their alignment with transparent, objective, and non-discriminatory procedures.
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