FIFA faces fresh EU antitrust probe over women's football governance

European authorities have received an antitrust complaint against FIFA regarding its governance and control of women's football operations, according to filings submitted to the European Commission on September 8.

The complaint marks the latest in a series of regulatory challenges facing FIFA across European jurisdictions. Competition authorities in the region have increasingly scrutinized the football body's regulatory practices, particularly concerning commercial rights, player regulations, and competitive structures.

The European Commission will now assess whether FIFA's practices in women's football violate EU competition law. Investigators typically examine whether dominant organizations abuse their market position or impose restrictions that hinder fair competition or innovation in the sport.

FIFA has faced mounting regulatory scrutiny from multiple directions in recent years as sports governance comes under closer examination. The organization has previously addressed competition concerns by implementing reforms to its regulations and commercial frameworks.

The investigation comes amid broader efforts by European regulators to ensure competitive fairness in sports administration and to protect the interests of clubs, players, and commercial stakeholders across the continent.