This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The Spanish and Portuguese leagues have filed a legal challenge with the European Commission over Fifa’s decision to ban the third-party ownership of players.

The Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, announced late last year that the world governing body had agreed to ban third-party ownership, when the transfer rights of players are wholly or partially owned by a footballer or a company instead of a club.

The Spanish and Portuguese leagues (LFP/LPFP), where third-party ownership is widespread, argue that the ban infringes competition rules as well as regulations on free movement of labour and capital.

“The LFP and LPFP trust the Commission will act quickly, starting the relevant disciplinary action against Fifa and reversing the ban on third-party ownership,” the leagues said in a joint statement.

Fifa’s move to outlaw third-party ownership came after pressure from Uefa, whose president, Michel Platini, is one of the most outspoken critics of the practice, which is also strongly opposed by the world players’ association FIFPro.