Will global soccer be reshaped after EU’s top court issued a major ruling in Lassana Diarra case?

The global soccer transfer market, worth more than $10 billion each season, is facing a revolutionary overhaul or a nuanced evolution following last week’s ruling by the European Court of Justice in the Lassana Diarra case. The court also found that FIFA regulations breached the bloc’s competition law because they aim at restricting and preventing “cross-border competition which could be pursued by all clubs established in the European Union.” What is the next legal step? Although FIFA said it was satisfied “that the legality of key principles of the transfer system have been reconfirmed,” Diarra’s lawyers claimed “total victory.” The judges in Luxembourg acknowledged having stability in player rosters and regularity in competitions are legitimate objectives for FIFA, but that rules must be applied proportionally. The leagues group says the Diarra ruling shows how representation at FIFA is “becoming legally essential.” FIFA had indicated before Friday it would consult widely on transfer market reforms it believes can focus on specific issues raised by Diarra, rather than a total overhaul.