The complaint is a follow-up to an earlier one made in 2024, which has not made much progress through the European Union bureaucratic system. European Leagues are now targeting FIFA president Gianni Infantino's attempt to sell stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, which has since been abandoned.
European Leagues are accusing FIFA of 'abusive conduct' over the women's calendar, citing concerns over the growth and financial sustainability of women's professional leagues, as well as player health and wellbeing. They claim that FIFA consistently uses its regulatory power to favor its own competition and commercial interests to the detriment of women's football and European national leagues.
The complaint also references the recent controversy surrounding the aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, which they say has exposed the structural conflict between profit-driven motives and FIFA's regulatory decisions. European Leagues counts the English and Spanish women's leagues among eight full member women's competitions, and the French, German and Italian leagues are associate members.
A FIFA spokesperson has responded to the complaint, stating that they are "disappointed by European Leagues' approach" and that they have not been officially notified about the extension of its complaint. They also defended the four-year women's international match calendar, which they say was backed by extensive research, analysis and consultation with key stakeholders.
The complaint has been made without the involvement of FIFPRO Europe, who withdrew from the formal complaint to Brussels as part of a cooperation deal with FIFA signed in June.