Former France international Lassana Diarra has settled his €65 million (£56.2m/$75m) lawsuit against FIFA without receiving any financial compensation, football’s world governing body confirmed on Monday.
The case, which also involved the Belgian football federation, stemmed from a landmark ruling by the European Union’s top court in 2024 regarding FIFA’s transfer regulations.
FIFA announced that all legal proceedings between the two parties have now been concluded following a mutual agreement.
“Following the global agreement they have reached, Mr. Lassana Diarra and FIFA have settled all legal proceedings between them.
“FIFA has not made any admission of liability nor payment by way of compensation.”
The organisation did not provide further details on the terms of the settlement.
Diarra’s long-running dispute dates back to 2014 following a breakdown in his relationship with Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow.
At the time, FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in favour of the club, stating the midfielder had terminated his contract without just cause.
The ruling left Diarra and any potential buying club liable for €10.5 million in compensation.
The former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder later challenged FIFA’s global transfer system, taking the case to the European Court of Justice.
In a significant judgment, the court found that certain FIFA transfer rules breached EU competition law and restrictions on the free movement of players, reshaping ongoing debates around football’s transfer system.
It remains unclear whether Monday’s settlement will impact a separate class-action claim linked to the same legal challenge, according to Diarra’s legal representatives.
The resolution brings an end to one of football’s most closely watched legal disputes, even as wider questions over transfer regulations and player rights continue to evolve across Europe.
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