FIFA’s calendar faces new challenge as French players’ complaint ruled admissible under European Social Charter

The international calendar being enforced by FIFA is under renewed challenge in Europe after the European Committee of Social Rights ruled that the complaint by France’s players’ union (UNFP) was admissible under the European Social Charter.

The players’ case – UNFP v France – focuses on the lack of minimum player protection on workload and the disregard of national collective agreements at the national level.

With the complaint admissible it opens a pathway to formally examine whether France’s professional players, including minors, have the same minimum guarantees that all workers have under the European Social Charter.

While the complaint is brought against France, the real pinchpoint of the case is in the structural problems of the international calendar and the new and expanded competitions that FIFA has launched into an already crowded competition eco-system.

Those competitions were launched without any discussion with players’ unions. FIFA refuses to acknowledge FIFPRO as a stakeholder in the discussion, despite needing its players for its expanded competition ambitions.

In a statement, FIFPRO Europe, which has welcomed the decision and requested to “provide observations in the proceedings as the player’s representation in European football”, said: “Violations of fundamental labour rights – on health and safety, working time, and the right to collective bargaining – are not isolated failures of individual states. They are a structural feature of professional football, driven by FIFA’s expanding competition formats and its unilateral decision-making and control over the international match calendar, in which players and their representatives have no meaningful say.”

FIFPRO says that France is not alone and that the situation is mirrored in other states.

“…with minimum standards for working time, rest periods, occupational health and collective bargaining structurally undermined by decisions taken at global level. FIFPRO Europe therefore regards the UNFP complaint as a case with implications well beyond France,” said FIFPRO.