Diarra Resumes £56m Legal Battle Against FIFA and Belgian FA

Former France international Lassana Diarra has relaunched legal proceedings in Belgium, demanding £56 million in compensation from FIFA and the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), Sport360NG reports.

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. His legal team has consistently argued that elements of FIFA’s transfer regulations breach European Union law.

That position was strengthened last October when the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that certain FIFA rules restricting player transfers contravene EU legislation. Specifically, the court criticised FIFA’s refusal to issue Diarra an international transfer certificate in 2015, preventing him from joining Belgian side Charleroi. According to the CJEU, those rules obstructed the free movement of players within Europe.

Diarra, now 40, expressed frustration at the lack of progress towards a settlement. “I had hoped FIFA and the RBFA would have the decency to approach me with a proposal for an amicable resolution,” he said in a joint statement. “Since that has not happened, I have no choice but to pursue national proceedings in Belgium.”

The Frenchman was previously ordered by FIFA to pay £8.4m in damages to Lokomotiv Moscow for breach of contract, a decision he has contested ever since. He has received backing from international players’ unions, including FifPro, FifPro Europe and France’s UNFP, who argue that his case highlights systemic flaws in FIFA’s system.

“This fight has been ongoing since 2014, over 11 years,” Diarra said. “I am doing this for myself, but also for young players who do not have the financial or psychological resources to stand up to FIFA in court.”

Following the CJEU ruling, FIFA made temporary changes to its rules on compensation and contractual disputes, but Diarra insists the revisions “still fall short of the strict requirements” set by the judgment.

A FIFA spokesperson responded: “Since the ECJ ruling in October 2024, FIFA has been working with stakeholders to amend its regulations in line with the court’s guidance. FIFA does not comment on ongoing legal cases.”

The landmark decision has also spurred wider action. Dutch organisation Justice for Players (JFP) has launched a class action suit against FIFA and several European football associations, including those of France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. The group claims restrictive transfer rules caused players to lose income and urged others to join the case.

The RBFA has been contacted for comment.