FIFA accused of 'abusive conduct' over women's football calendar in Europe

An organization representing European football leagues has publicly accused FIFA of "abusive conduct" in connection with how the women's football match calendar is structured in Europe.

This marks the latest step in an ongoing dispute between European leagues and football's global governing body. The organization first filed a formal complaint with the European Commission back in October 2024, at that time seeking to protect the interests of men's players over calendar-related concerns.

The new accusation suggests that the leagues' grievances with FIFA's scheduling decisions now extend beyond men's football to the women's game as well. This points to a broader, long-running conflict between European league representatives and FIFA over how international and club competition calendars are organized.

Disputes over football scheduling have intensified in recent years, with clubs and leagues repeatedly voicing concerns about player workload and the overlap of competitions. These concerns affect both men's and women's football, and it now appears the European leagues' organization intends to press its case regarding the women's calendar as well.

Further details about the specific substance of the latest accusation, and whether it will similarly be escalated to the European Commission as happened in 2024, have not yet been made public.