FIFA opens the door to a major rule change that would have an impact on the transfer market
FIFA has announced that a dialogue will be opened with a view to potential alterations to the transfer market, following a decision by the European Court of Justice. In 2014, former midfielder of Real Madrid Lassana Diarra unilaterally rescinded his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow, but was forbidden by FIFA to sign for Charleroi.
Diarra, 39, was unable to sign for Charleroi at the time, but after a year out of the game he signed for Olympique Marseille. He went on to play for Al-Jazira and Paris Saint-Germain before retiring in 2019. The move to Belgium was halted by FIFA however, under a breach of contract, detail AS Diary. However, after a court dispute was settled in favor of Diarra, which would have seen the Frenchman fined €10 million by FIFA in compensation, the football organization announced a new review of the Current Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
FIFA has announced it will review its current transfer rules, following a ruling by the European Court of Justice on Lassana Diarra. More below. pic.twitter.com/xoLGoKomR1
— Football España (@footballespana_) October 14, 2024
FIFA's Director of Legal Services, Emilio Garcia Silvero, announced this on Twitter/X from FIFA's official account, noting that they will invite relevant stakeholders in the conversation to update their regulations and look at the system of current transfer.
The Diarra ruling clearly threatens not only FIFA's ability to judge football transfers, something Garcia has denied, but also the system itself. If the players were able to unilaterally cancel their deals, it would fundamentally change the face of football and the way of transfer. FIFA and the clubs will no doubt seek to tighten the regulations to protect their positions.
