Trading football players is a massive, global business where several single trades have brought in more than $100 million in transfer fees. This has brought about a business practice where third-party investors provide or receive a share of the transfer fees, so-called third-party ownership. However, effective May 1, 2015, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has imposed a worldwide ban on this practice. In the face of already-initiated legal challenges, this article considers whether the ban is compatible with European Union law. It finds that the ban violates both free movement rights and competition law and that FIFA would be well served to consider a less-restrictive measure.
