On 15 May 2025, Advocate General Emiliou delivered influential opinions in three joined cases:- RRC Sports (C-209/23), ROGON and Others (C-428/23), and Tondela and Others (C-133/24).
These opinions focus on FIFA’s new football agent regulations (the aim of which is create a more transparent football transfer system), which have faced legal scrutiny across multiple Member States and may significantly shape the future of sports governance in the EU. Agents and clubs argued that these rules unduly restrict competition and the freedom to provide services under EU law.
It was acknowledged that, while sports bodies like FIFA and national federations have the right to self-regulate, their rules must respect EU principles – particularly competition law.
These opinions send a clear signal: sports regulations are not immune to EU law. As the Court of Justice considers its final ruling, sports organizations across Europe should re-evaluate the legal robustness of their regulatory frameworks.
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