Diarra settles 65 mn euros transfer case with FIFA and Belgian FA

Former France international Lassana Diarra has reached agreement with FIFA and the Belgian football association in his long-running 65 million euro ($76 million) legal battle, a source close to the case told AFP on Monday.

The former Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder’s challenge to FIFA prompted world football’s governing body to amend its transfer rules after a landmark Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) legal ruling in October 2024, but he had been unable to reach a settlement.

The CJEU found that FIFA rules impede the free movement of players by “imposing considerable legal risks, unforeseeable and potentially very high financial risks as well as major sporting risks on those players and clubs wishing to employ them”, thereby disrupting the transfer system.

The 35-times capped former France international announced last October that he was turning to the Belgian courts to enforce the CJEU ruling.

Contacted by AFP, FIFA indicated that “following the comprehensive agreement they reached, Mr. Lassana Diarra and FIFA have settled all legal proceedings between them,” adding that FIFA “does not acknowledge any wrongdoing and has not made any compensation payments”.

Diarra’s lawyers told AFP they could not comment at this stage.

The origin of this case lies in Diarra’s dispute over the terms of his departure from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014.

Due to a drastic reduction in his salary, Diarra left the Moscow club, but the club deemed the termination unfair and demanded 20 million euros from him, later reduced to 10.5 million euros.

As a result, Belgian club Charleroi ultimately decided against signing the French player for fear of having to bear part of these sanctions.

Following the CJEU’s decision known as the “Diarra ruling,” FIFA adjusted its regulations on player transfers.

The Justice for Players Foundation also launched a class action lawsuit aimed at achieving greater fairness in transfers, an initiative joined by various national professional footballers’ unions, including the French union (UNFP).