Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Frontiers In Sports And Active Living

Publication Date

8-11-2026

Abstract

Introduction This article examines the concept of just cause for the unilateral termination of professional football employment contracts under FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP). It pays particular attention to the changes introduced by FIFA's 2025 Interim Regulatory Framework. The RSTP aims to protect contractual stability while safeguarding the rights of both players and clubs. However, the meaning and application of just cause continue to raise important legal questions.Methods The article uses a doctrinal legal approach. It examines the RSTP, the 2025 Interim Regulatory Framework, the FIFA Commentary on the RSTP, decisions of the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC), and awards of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). It also draws on academic literature and selected comparative sports law studies to examine the development of FIFA's legal framework.Results The study shows that the 2025 Interim Regulatory Framework provides useful clarification, especially on the definition of just cause, the burden of proof, and the procedures before the Football Tribunal. Despite these changes, the application of the rules still depends largely on the assessment of each individual case. Important uncertainties remain regarding abusive conduct, financial default, sporting just cause, and the balance between contractual stability and the employment rights of players. The analysis also identifies differences in the approach taken by the FIFA DRC and CAS, which reduce legal certainty and predictability.Discussion and conclusion The article concludes that the 2025 reforms are a positive step towards greater legal clarity, but they do not resolve all the weaknesses of the current system. The concept of just cause would benefit from a clearer definition and more objective criteria for its application. Greater consistency in the decisions of FIFA and CAS would also improve legal certainty and strengthen the balance between contractual stability and the legitimate interests of players and clubs. Finally, the article provides one of the first detailed legal analyses of the 2025 Interim Regulatory Framework and offers recommendations to improve the regulation of professional football employment contracts.

ISSN

2624-9367

Publisher

Frontiers Media SA

Volume

8

Disciplines

Law | Sports Studies

Keywords

abusive conduct, contract termination, just cause, outstanding salaries, professional football players, RSTP, sporting just cause

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Indexed in Scopus

no

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

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