Dutch foundation Justice for Players is preparing a mass legal claim against Fifa and five national football associations, including the KNVB asking for compensation for an estimated 100,000 professional footballers who allegedly lost income due to transfer regulations.

The foundation told public broadcaster NOS on Monday that it intends to file the claim later this year and that the damages could amount to several billion euros.

The players, both male and female, were active from 2002 onwards and span all levels of professional football. Economists advising the group estimate players earned around 8% less over the course of their careers because FIFA rules limited their ability to end contracts or negotiate freely with other clubs.

“This is a billion-euro claim,” sports lawyer Dolf Segaar, a board member of Justice for Players told NOS. “We hold Fifa and the national associations jointly liable. If one doesn’t pay, the others will have to.”

The claim is partly based on the October 2024 ruling in favour of French player Lassana Diarra, who was fined €10.5 million and barred from joining a new club after walking away from Lokomotiv Moscow because of a conflict. The European Court found that Fifa’s rules unlawfully restricted the free movement of workers.

Fifa made minor changes after the ruling but did not, according to the players’ union FIFPro, go far enough. Ten months on, Justice for Players says the time has come for legal action.

“Footballers have missed out on substantial income due to unlawful Fifa rules,” said foundation chair Lucia Melcherts, who leads the Mass Damage and Consumer Foundation which is involved in ongoing collective action against Google, Airbnb and ABN Amro.

The foundation is supported by one of Europe’s largest litigation funders, Belgian firm Deminor, which will cover the legal costs. Dutch law firm Finch Dispute Resolution will lead the proceedings.

Players who believe they were affected can register via a dedicated website. “They are the injured parties and have nothing to lose,” Segaar said. “The process costs them nothing.”