European Leagues Ramp Up Pressure on FIFA Over Women's Football Calendar
By Editor • September 8, 2026 • 1 min read
The European Leagues, an umbrella organization representing various football leagues including the Premier League and the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), has expanded its legal complaint against FIFA, accusing the governing body of 'abusive conduct' towards women's football in Europe.
This complaint, initially submitted to the European Commission in October 2024, highlights FIFA's alleged failure to engage adequately with leagues regarding the men's international match calendar announced in 2023. With the recent inclusion of 14 European women's leagues—such as the Women's Super League (WSL) and the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL)—the European Leagues now assert that FIFA's handling of the women's international match calendar is equally problematic.
In a statement released on Tuesday, European Leagues emphasized the need for the European Commission to ensure compliance with EU law and protect the future of women's professional football. They pointed out that FIFA's actions pose risks to the development and financial stability of women's leagues while also jeopardizing player health and wellness. The complaint indicates that FIFA's dual role as both regulatory authority and competition organizer creates an inherent conflict of interest, leading to decisions that favor its own commercial interests over the welfare of women's football.
Source: www.aljazeera.com
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