US Supreme Court allows soccer promoter's antitrust suit over FIFA policy on league matches to proceed

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed a soccer promoter's antitrust lawsuit to go forward against FIFA and the US Soccer Federation over the world governing body's policy of not permitting a country to host league matches involving teams from other countries. The high court order leaves in place a federal appeals court ruling in favour of Relevent Sports, controlled by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

Relevent sued in 2019 after FIFA disrupted its plan to host a Spanish league match between Barcelona and Girona at Miami Gardens, Florida, and the USSF refused permission to sanction a league match between two teams from Ecuador.

A district court dismissed the lawsuit, but a three-judge panel of the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously reinstated it. The Biden administration weighed in on Relevent's side at the Supreme Court.