The 14th Update | October'25
October 2025
Welcome back to the 14th Update, a Newsletter curated by 14 Sports Law, where the world of sports law unfolds with the rhythm of a well-struck penalty kick.
We’re delighted to bring you ed. 15 of the 14th Update, where we take you behind the scenes of 14 Sports Law’s record-breaking summer transfer window, explore some of our recent initiatives across academia, and key regulatory updates from the world of sports.
Our mission remains unwavering: to decode the complexities of sports law and present them to you in an engaging format. 14th Update is your passport to the latest developments in the arena of sports law, business, and technology.
As always, we invite you to share your thoughts, feedback, and questions with us at [info@14sportslaw.com].
Happy reading!
Best,
Luis Cassiano Neves
Founding Partner, 14 Sports Law
Summer Transfer Window Snapshot:
This year’s summer window stretched well into autumn, and with good reason. We pushed into new markets, consolidated old ones, and crossed yet another milestone: a record number of transfers completed in a single window. In total, 179 professional footballers changed their working situation with the assistance of 14 Sports Law; we’re proud to say that nearly all of them went through seamlessly. From renewals to terminations, from Europe to Asia, our team was at the centre of a truly global summer. Here’s a quick look at the numbers:
179 total deals, including 86 permanent transfers, 53 free-agent signings, 17 loans, 18 loans with option rights, 4 contract renewals, and 1 contract termination. These transactions involved 192 clubs across 53 countries, amounting to over € 220 million in transfer fees and contingent payments.
As the dust settles on an extraordinary summer, we’re already setting our sights on what promises to be an equally dynamic January 2026 window.
Other Updates:
Emmanuel Obam has commenced his internship at 14 Sports Law as a part of ISDE’s Master in Sports Management & Legal Skills with Barça Innovation Hub, working with the Litigation & Arbitration department.
Matilde Costa Dias was present at the Seminar “Sports Law: A Luso-Brazilian Perspective” at the Escola de Direito da Universidade do Minho, to speak at a Panel for the topic “The legal relevance of CAS in the context of international sports justice.”
Luis Cassiano Neves was at the Portugal Football Summit, to take part in a discussion led by João Braz Frade, alongside Pedro Mendonça from McKinsey, and journalist Camilo Lourenço, discussing competitiveness and future challenges in Portuguese football.
14 Sports Law launches “14 Knowledge Lab” – an e-learning and upskilling platform, with a mission to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering a one-of-a-kind platform for industry professionals eager to upgrade their skills and stay ahead of the curve. The inaugural online course on “Motorsport & Law” run in partnership with the Gujarat National Law University and its Center for Sports and Entertainment Law was conducted online from 14 – 21 October. Look for more updates and new courses soon!
Gabriel Eguinoa and Aakash Batra delivered an online lecture on “Introduction to CAS Proceedings” for the Sports Law elective students at Jindal Global Law School.
Aakash authored an article titled “India’s New Sports Playbook: How the NSGA 2025 Recasts National Sports Bodies” published by Law School Policy Review. Read here!
European Parliament Reaffirms the European Sport Model
On 7 October 2025, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on “The Role of EU Policies in Strengthening the European Sport Model” (2025/2035(INI)), led by MEP Bogdan Zdrojewski. The resolution reinforces the core principles of the European sporting framework: solidarity, open competitions, sporting merit, inclusiveness, and integrity - while emphasizing the need to balance autonomy of sport with compliance under EU law. Parliament reiterated that while sports bodies enjoy self-regulation, this autonomy cannot override the fundamental principles of EU competition and internal market law, notably transparency, proportionality, and non-discrimination. Citing the CJEU’s European Super League and ISU rulings, the text underscores that the “specific nature of sport” does not justify unrestrained regulatory discretion.arbitrations from Switzerland to an EU Member State.
CAS Bulletin 2025/02
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (“CAS”) has released Bulletin 2025/02, the second edition of the year. The publication compiles a selection of notable CAS awards and Swiss Federal Tribunal decisions. The bulletin also includes interesting articles and commentaries relevant to international sports law, alongside a detailed overview of institutional developments and procedural updates from the first half of 2025.
FIFA Launches Football Jurisprudence Database
FIFA has unveiled the Football Jurisprudence Database, a landmark initiative granting public access to football-related legal decisions. The platform allows users to explore and analyse cases resolved by the CAS and the Swiss Federal Tribunal (“SFT”), reflecting the fact that football accounts for over 72% of all CAS proceedings. Spanning decisions from 2002 to the present, the database offers advanced search filters by procedure, year, topic, language, outcome, arbitrators, and applied regulations, making it a valuable resource for legal practitioners, academics, and stakeholders.
FIFA Releases Mid-Year 2025 Transfer Market Snapshot
FIFA has published its latest snapshot analysis of the mid-year 2025 international transfer window. The findings reveal record-breaking activity across both men’s and women’s football, with unprecedented spending and transfer volumes. It highlights that between 1 June and 2 September 2025, men’s football registered 11,970 international transfers, the highest ever for a mid-year window; with total fees reaching USD 9.76 billion (≈ EUR 8.9 billion), surpassing the previous 2023 record of USD 7.36 billion. In the women’s game, spending climbed to USD 12.3 million (≈ EUR 10.5 million), marking an 80% year-on-year increase, with 1,185 transfers worldwide.
Indian Football Enters a New Era with Supreme Court-Approved Constitution
On 12 October 2025, the All India Football Federation (“AIFF”) adopted the Supreme Court–approved Constitution (vide its judgment dated 19 September 2025 in AIFF v. Rahul Mehra & Ors.) during its Special General Body Meeting, marking a milestone in India’s football governance. Subsequently, in its order of 15 October 2025, the Supreme Court clarified that Article 23.3, which required the Court’s approval for any future amendment to the Constitution, need not be adopted. However, the Court directed that Articles 25.3(c) and (d), which bar office-bearers from holding dual positions in both the AIFF Executive Committee and State Associations, must be adopted within three weeks. The Court further noted that all such provisions shall be subject to the recently promulgated National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
The new Constitution introduces critical reforms on transparency, accountability, and governance alignment with FIFA and AFC, while notably reaffirming that India’s top-tier leagues must remain open to promotion and relegation.
Justice for Players’ Class Action against FIFA (Diarra Follow-through)
In October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) delivered its landmark judgment in the Lassana Diarra case, finding certain provisions of the FIFA RSTP incompatible with EU law, particularly regarding free movement of workers and free competition. For a quick recap of the Diarra case, please go back to ed. 7 of the 14th Update.
Building on the Diarra case momentum, the Dutch foundation Justice for Players recently launched a class action against FIFA and several national associations – including those of the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, and Denmark, on behalf of current and former professional players.
The claim alleges that FIFA’s transfer rules have violated EU law since 2002, resulting in average income losses of around 8% over players’ careers. The case, to be heard before the District Court of Midden-Nederland, could involve up to 100,000 athletes across the EU and UK, with potential damages reaching several billion euros. Under Dutch law, players residing in the Netherlands are automatically included unless they opt out, while others who have played or transferred within Europe since 2002 may opt in. The French players’ union UNFP has already joined the action.
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