Lassana Diarra Resumes £56m Legal Fight Against FIFA, Belgian FA

Former France international, Lassana Diarra, has reignited his long-running legal battle against FIFA and the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), demanding £56 million in compensation over rules that the European Court of Justice (CJEU) has already deemed unlawful.

The ex-Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth midfielder has been in dispute with world football’s governing body since his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow was terminated in 2014.

Lassana Diarra’s attempt to join Belgian side Charleroi in 2015 was blocked when FIFA refused to issue an international transfer certificate (ITC), a move the CJEU later ruled violated EU laws protecting the free movement of workers.

In its October 2024 ruling, the CJEU stated FIFA’s rules “impede the free movement of professional footballers wishing to develop their activity by going to work for a new club.”

Diarra, now 40, says the decision left his career in limbo and insists FIFA must be held accountable.

“I hoped that FIFA and the RBFA would at least have the decency to approach me to propose an amicable settlement,” he said on Monday. “I have been forced to fight this legal battle since August 2014. That’s more than 11 years. I am doing this for myself, but I have also done it for all the up-and-coming, lesser-known players who do not have the financial and psychological means to challenge FIFA before real judges.”

FIFA had previously ordered Diarra to pay £8.4 million to Lokomotiv Moscow for allegedly breaching his contract, a sanction he continues to contest.

While FIFA introduced interim reforms to its transfer regulations following the CJEU ruling, Diarra insists the amendments “do not comply with the strict requirements imposed by the CJEU judgement.”

Footballers’ unions FifPro, FifPro Europe and France’s UNFP have all thrown their support behind Diarra, while Dutch group Justice for Players (JFP) has also launched a class action lawsuit against FIFA and several European football associations, arguing players have lost significant income under restrictive transfer rules.

“We stand firmly alongside Mr Diarra,” JFP said in a statement, adding that FIFA’s “temporary changes to the transfer rules… still don’t fully comply with EU law.”

According to the BBC, FIFA spokesperson responded cautiously, saying: “Since the ECJ issued its ruling in the Diarra case in October 2024, FIFA has been working with its stakeholders to amend its regulations following the guidance offered by the ECJ. FIFA does not comment on ongoing legal matters.”