Former French international Lassana Diarra is once again taking legal action, seeking £56 million in compensation from FIFA and the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA). This move marks the latest chapter in a legal dispute that’s been ongoing for more than a decade.
Diarra, who played for Premier League clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Portsmouth, has been fighting FIFA since 2014. That year, his contract with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow was terminated, which sparked a major legal row over FIFA’s transfer rules.
In 2015, Diarra was blocked from joining Belgian side Charleroi after FIFA refused to issue an international transfer certificate (ITC). This led to a long legal battle, culminating in a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in October. The court found that certain FIFA rules around transfers violated EU laws, particularly those that restricted player movement across borders.
Diarra had been hoping that, following the ruling, FIFA and the RBFA would reach out to resolve the matter amicably. That hasn’t happened. Now, at 40 years old, he’s restarting legal proceedings in Belgium.
“I’ve been forced to fight this legal battle since August 2014 — that’s over 11 years,” Diarra said in a statement. “I’m doing this for myself, but also for the many young and lesser-known players who can’t afford to challenge FIFA legally.”
Diarra’s case is backed by players’ unions including FifPro and the UNFP in France. Previously, FIFA had ordered him to pay £8.4 million to Lokomotiv Moscow for breaching his contract, a decision his legal team has contested.
In response to the CJEU’s judgment, FIFA has made changes to its transfer rules, including how compensation and burden of proof are handled in contract disputes. But Diarra argues that the changes still don’t fully meet the requirements laid out by the court.
The case has broader implications too. Following the same ruling, the Dutch-based group Justice for Players launched a class action lawsuit against FIFA and several European football associations, accusing them of restricting players’ earnings through outdated transfer rules.
FIFA and the RBFA have been contacted for comment.