Football, both globally and domestically, is undergoing massive transformation with major tournaments, multi-club ownership, venue disparities, and emerging equity issues all forcing regulators and clubs to redefine its traditional legal norms. At the 50th Annual Sports Lawyers Association Conference, moderator Laura Warren (Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, Chicago Fire FC) guided a global-minded conversation with panelists Américo Espallargas (Head of Disciplinary, FIFA), Curtis Franks (General Counsel, FIFA World Cup), and Shameeka Quallo (Chief Legal Officer, Washington Spirit) on the practical, ethical, and legal challenges facing the world’s most popular sport–football (“American soccer”).[1]
Mega Events, Multi-Jurisdictions, and Climbing the Mountain of Transactions
Franks opened with a behind-the-scenes look at organizing the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will span three countries (Canada, United States, and Mexico) and over a dozens of local jurisdictions. He described the complexity of hosting events at sites like MetLife Stadium in the New Jersey/New York metro area. Franks highlighted this legal maze created by staging massive multi-jurisdictional events, each with different zoning, tax, labor, and licensing regulations. Franks again illustrated how even neighboring jurisdictions, such as Coral Gables and Miami-Dade County, can differ significantly in compliance protocols, complicating what seems to be simple decisions on accommodations, travel, and venue selection. From venue contracts to crowd control regulations to immigration procedures, every match represents “a mountain of transactions” that demands strategic foresight and collaboration.
That foresight is especially critical for newer tournaments like the expanded Club World Cup. With 32 teams and strict eligibility rules, FIFA faced a legal dilemma when multiple qualifying teams shared ownership. Espallargas discussed the controversial exclusion of Club León.[2] León president Jesús Martínez Murguía attempted to submit full documentation proving operational independence from its affiliate, Pachuca, both of which had qualified. “It’s clear we were left on our own–by our league and by our federation,” Martínez Murguía told Tubi in an interview. “But overall, we felt abandoned.”[3] FIFA had traditionally allowed blind trusts as a workaround to separate multi-club ownership, but it refused to accept them for the Club World Cup, diverging from UEFA precedent.[4] Ultimately, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld FIFA’s approach.
Espallargas noted that these unanticipated circumstances created further complications. León’s removal forced FIFA to hold a last-minute competition to fill the vacated spot, raising additional legal and practical questions like where would it be held? Who would play? Do sponsors have rights in this tournament game?[5] For me, the bigger question was if multi-team ownership presents a foreseeable risk why weren’t the rules addressed proactively? Why did León’s owner attempt to use a blind trust only after the case reached arbitration? For now, regulation seems reactive, triggered by conflict rather than guided by anticipation thus keeping Espallargas’s team busier than ever.
Women’s Soccer: Equity, Growth, and Venue Disparities
Quallo brought the conversation back to the U.S. discussing the unique burdens facing women’s soccer clubs like infrastructure limitations and business disparities within the NWSL. “Only one NWSL club [Kansas City] owns its venue,” she noted, explaining how scheduling a championship final requires navigating landlord calendars, not just league interests. While the Washington Spirit rents Audi Field, availability is limited by third-party landlords.[6] Audi Field’s third-party rental also poses potential sponsorship conflicts, such as if there is a league-sponsored car brand. Venue capacity also remains a persistent challenge. Kansas City’s stadium seats only 11,500, and while it maximizes home market attendance, it limits national visibility.[7] Meanwhile, the Chicago Red Stars sold out a 40,000-seat stadium showing untapped demand that challenges the current infrastructure limits.[8]
She also pointed to fragmented ownership models and restrictive salary caps in the NWSL, far tighter than those abroad. Michele Kang’s multi-club ownership across continents-including Washington Spirit, Olympique Lyonnais and London City Lionesses-represents a promising growth model if paired with ethical oversight.[9] Kang’s historic $30 million donation to U.S. Soccer aims to develop junior national teams and increase women’s coaching and officiating roles, efforts Quallo called “essential to growing the game.”[10]
FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s remarks that women should “pick the right battles” for equality only deepened the gender divide.[11] These comments sparked backlash from players who call for greater respect from national federations.[12] The U.S. Women’s National Team achieved equal pay through a $24 million settlement and CBA overhaul but many national teams, like England, Nigeria, and Canada, were embroiled in disputes over performance bonuses and unpaid dues.[13]
Quallo also referenced the league’s recent bid to establish a Division II developmental league as early as 2026. The proposed six-team league, affiliated with top-tier NWSL clubs and sharing infrastructure, could strengthen player pipelines and coaching development. This is especially important in a system now without a draft, relying instead on club scouting and global recruitment.[14] However, the move also raises broader antitrust concerns akin to the now-defunct NASL’s legal battles with MLS.[15]
Disciplinary Challenges and Clearinghouse Compliance
Espallargas, who oversees FIFA disciplinary proceedings, revealed staggering statistics: 4,865 cases in just 10 months, with only a three-person team. FIFA plans to release a full report this July, outlining global misconduct trends including drone interruptions, red cards, and over 200 match-day incidents.[16]
But Espallargas pointed out that not all offenses come from players. Financial mismanagement, non-payment of transfer fees, and money laundering concerns increasingly dominate FIFA’s docket. Many smaller clubs, especially those in less regulated jurisdictions, fail compliance checks. “Many clubs are unsophisticated,” Espallargas admitted. He also discussed FIFA’s financial compliance model, particularly the FIFA Clearinghouse. Introduced in 2022, the system centralizes training compensation and solidarity payments, aiming to ensure youth clubs are properly compensated. However, enforcement remains uneven. Jurisdictional constraints, such as France’s financial regulations and inconsistent anti-money laundering standards, continue to complicate implementation at the Paris-based Clearinghouse.[17] FIFA is now trying to balance enforcement in developing regions. Rather than merely punishing late payments or misconduct, the organization is investing in compliance infrastructure and club training. Espallargas stressed that the ultimate goal is both enforcement and education.
Broadcast Rights and the Fragmentation Problem
A major impediment to growing U.S. women’s soccer is the splintered nature of media rights and broadcast accessibility. Although the NWSL’s 2023 media‐rights deal was forty times larger than its predecessor, it covers matches across at least four platforms, CBS, ESPN/ABC, Prime Video, and ION, with no centralized schedule or cross‐promotion.[18] Consequently, fans often struggle to know where or how to watch their team as some games sit behind paywalls and each club must post its own streaming schedule on their websites.[19] Amazon Prime’s broadcasts show strong viewership and commercial potential, unmatched by other platforms that don’t share similar data; however, the abundance of options undermines overall fan engagement.[20]While major events enjoy exclusive territorial broadcast rights, panelists criticized the patchwork approach to other regular league games. Franks explained that for the World Cup, FIFA sells media rights territorially, allowing broadcasters to sublicense matches.[21] In contrast, Club World Cup rights are managed through a centralized model.[22]
Moreover, unlike the NBA/WNBA affiliation, U.S. men’s and women’s soccer operate in distinct silos, with no shared revenue structure or joint media efforts thus limiting both visibility and leverage for women athletes.[23] Until the NWSL can align venue ownership, franchise structure, developmental pathways, and legal certainty under a cohesive strategy, the U.S. women’s game will continue to trail its global peers.
Conclusion
This panel highlighted how fragmented football remains from governance and discipline to broadcasting and equity. It’s ironic that while mega-tournaments require consistent legal frameworks and coordination at the hyperlocal level, domestic leagues still face challenges with ownership, access, and pay equity on a more ambitious broader scale. Football is a global sport, but its regulation is often very local. As U.S. soccer grows, it needs to balance being a developing market with also becoming a legal testing ground. The focus must shift to proactive, athlete-centered policies instead of the reactive processes currently in place. For football to truly be the world’s most inclusive sport, its governance needs to innovate quickly and thoughtfully.
Katelyn Kohler is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, specializing in Sports & Entertainment, Intellectual Property, and Labor & Employment Law. She holds dual degrees from Ithaca College in Business Administration: Sports Management and Legal Studies.
[1] Sports Lawyers Ass’n, 2025 Annual Conference Agenda (May 14–17, 2025), https://www.sportslaw.org/2025conference/agenda.
[2] See Press Release, Ct. Arb. for Sport, The Court of Arbitration for Sport Rejects Appeals by Club León, Pachuca and Alajuelense (May 6, 2025), https://www.tas-cas.org. On May 6, 2025, the CAS dismissed appeals filed by Club León, and Club de Fútbol Pachuca challenging their exclusion or the eligibility of others in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The CAS panel upheld FIFA’s finding that León and Pachuca violated Article 10.1 of the tournament’s regulations concerning multi-club ownership. The panel ruled that the trust arrangement set up by Club León’s ownership was insufficient to meet independence standards. León remains excluded from the tournament, while Pachuca retains its place.
[3] See Alejandro Orellana, ‘There’s Been Widespread Abandonment’ — Club León’s President Calls Out Liga MX, Mexican Football Federation for Lack of Support Following Club World Cup Expulsion, Goal.com (May 10, 2025), https://www.goal.com/en/lists/club-leon-presidentliga-mx-and-mexican-football-federation-club-world-cup-expulsion/blt5cd734f8363ac638#cs92614ca77626af8e (quoting interview comments).
[4] Compare The CFCB Decides on Multi-Club Ownership Cases for the 2024/25 UEFA Club Competitions, UEFA (July 5, 2024), https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/028f-1b4ba6fcea09-078845f25cbf-1000–the-cfcb-decides-on-multi-club-ownership-cases-for-the-2024-/ (allowing temporary blind trusts (e.g. Girona/Man City, Nice/United) for UEFA tournaments), with Press Release, Ct. Arb. for Sport, supra note 2.In July 2024 UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body allowed City Football Group and INEOS to place Girona and Nice into independent blind trusts, “accepted … on an exceptional basis” to satisfy UEFA’s one-ownership rule. See The CFCB Decides on Multi-Club Ownership Cases for the 2024/25 UEFA Club Competitions, supra. Yet, here the CAS panel explicitly examined the proposed trust and “concluded that this trust was insufficient to comply with the regulations.” See Press Release, Ct. Arb. for Sport, supra.
[5] See FIFA, FIFA Decides on Replacement Team for Club León in 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA (May 6, 2025), https://www.fifa.com/news/fifa-takes-decision-on-last-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-participating-team. (announcing playoff between Los Angeles FC and Club América to replace Club León).
[6] See Steven Goff, Spirit Set to Play All Home Matches at Audi Field Under New Deal, Wash. Post (Dec. 5, 2022), https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/12/05/washington-spirit-audi-field-soccer/. (announcing in 2023 Washington Spirit will play all home matches at Audi Field which they share with other tenants’ calendars (MLS, concerts, etc.)).
[7] See Dave Skretta, The First Stadium Built for a National Women’s Soccer League Club Is Ready to Open in Kansas City, AP News (Feb. 29, 2024, 12:32 PM), https://apnews.com/article/nwsl-kansas-city-current-stadium-womens-soccer-67cb1733199d13e10e91eb82b22f4e85. (noting Kansas City Current will debut CPKC Stadium, The $120 million, 11,000-seat venue, privately funded stadium built specifically for NWSL games).
[8] See Chicago Red Stars Break NWSL Attendance Record, Fall to Bay FC, 0-2, Chi. Red Stars (June 8, 2024), https://chicagoredstars.com/news/chicago-red-stars-break-nwsl-attendance-record-fall-to-bay-fc-0-2/. (reporting NWSL attendance record with 35,038 fans at Wrigley Field).
[9] See Jeff Kassouf, Michele Kang Interview: On the NWSL, Spirit, Lyon and Transforming Women’s Soccer, ESPN (May 6, 2025, 8:01 AM), https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/40163276/michele-kang-interview-transforming-womens-soccer-nwsl-spirit-lyon. (discussing Kang’s goal is to scale women’s soccer globally by elevating training, infrastructure, and development standards through a coordinated effort among shared stakeholders). This would reject and contrast with the men’s club structures.
[10] See Press Release, Businesswoman and Sports Owner Michele Kang Makes Historic Investment in U.S. Soccer and Women’s Sports, U.S. Soccer (Nov. 19, 2024), https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2024/11/businesswoman-and-sports-owner-michele-kang-makes-historic-investment-in-us-soccer.
[11] See Spencer Nusbaum, FIFA’s Gianni Infantino Instructs Women to ‘Pick the Right Battles’, Wash. Post (Aug. 19, 2023), https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/08/19/infantino-women-battles/. (quoting FIFA President at a pre–Women’s World Cup final news conference that women in soccer should “pick the right battles” and focus on persuading men of equality reforms).
[12] See Sam Marsden, Hegerberg slams Infantino’s ‘pick your battles’ FIFA speech, ESPN (Aug. 18, 2023), https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-womens-world-cup/story/4952131/hegerberg-slams-infantinos-pick-your-battles-fifa-speech. (quoting Ada Hegerberg, former Ballon d’Or winner, whocriticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s remarks).
[13] See Rachel Treisman, The U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team Wins $24 Million in Equal Pay Settlement, NPR (Feb. 22, 2022), https://www.npr.org/2022/02/22/1082220543/u-s-national-womens-soccer-team-equal-pay-settlement. (reporting U.S. successful lawsuit ensuring equal pay with the men’s team for friendlies and tournaments); see also Canada women’s team players ‘shocked’ by federation’s CBA reveal, Reuters (Mar. 9, 2023), https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/canada-womens-team-players-shocked-by-federations-cba-reveal-2023-03-09/ (reporting Canadian team protested pay equity and budget cuts, and Canada Soccer’s public disclosure of propped CBA hours before a parliamentary hearing strained relations); Pay dispute between England women’s international players and FA appears resolved, Assoc. Press (Sept. 21, 2023), https://apnews.com/article/soccer-england-womens-world-cup-pay-dispute-2023. (reporting dispute between England’s women’s national soccer team and FA resolved with new agreement on bonuses and commercial structures).; FIFPRO assisting Nigeria women’s team in pay dispute with federation, Reuters (Aug. 8, 2023), https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fifpro-assisting-nigeria-womens-team-pay-dispute-with-federation-2023-08-08/. (highlighting ongoing challenges in Nigerian women’s soccer regarding compensation and resources).
[14] See Jeff Kassouf, NWSL Submits Bid to Launch Second Division in 2026, ESPN (Apr. 25, 2025), https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/31451701/nwsl-submits-bid-launch-second-division-2026. Nevertheless, the NWSL D‑II id reflects more coordination between NWSL, U.S. Soccer, and clubs to grow the women’s game with clearer standards and mutual consent.
[15] See Jeff Carlisle, Jury Sides with MLS, USSF in NASL Antitrust Suit, ESPN (Feb. 3, 2025), https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38764871/jury-sides-mls-ussf-nasl-antitrust-suit. (ruling in favor of MLS where NASL had claimed that the USSF and MLS conspired to block its Division 2 sanctioning through anticompetitive practices).
[16] See FIFA, Disciplinary and Ethics Report 2023/2024 (July 15, 2024), https://legal.fifa.com. (last year’s report)>
[17] See FIFA, FIFA Clearing House Report 2024 (Nov. 20, 2024), https://www.fifa.com. (documenting operational impact since launch in 2022). The Clearing House, based in Paris and regulated under French banking law, has allocated over $350 million to more than 5,000 training clubs and already distributed $156.6 million in training rewards. Id.
[18] See NWSL Communications, NWSL Announces Landmark Media Partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports, Nat’l Women’s Soccer League (Nov. 9, 2023), https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/nwsl-announces-landmark-media-partnerships. (NWSL announced landmark four-year media rights agreements with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video, and Scripps Sports); Eric Fisher, NWSL ‘Begins Its Future’ With $240M Set of Media Rights, Front Office Sports (Nov. 9, 2023, updated Apr. 15, 2024), https://frontofficesports.com/nwsl-begins-its-future-with-240m-set-of-media-rights. (marking the largest media agreement in women’s sports history where the annual revenue of $60 million is 40 times greater than the NWSL’s previous media deal).
[19] See Karyn Lush, Finding & Watching NWSL Matches Shouldn’t Be a Problem, Women’s Sports Rev. (Jan. 20, 2024), https://www.womenssportsreview.com/finding-and-watching-nwsl-matches-shouldnt-be-a-problem. (arguing difficulty for fans to find and watch matches); Alex Azzi, Technical Difficulties Impact NWSL Games on Paramount+, Just Women’s Sports (Apr. 16, 2023), https://justwomenssports.com/reads/nwsl-paramount-plus-streaming-issues-april-15-2023. (noting technical issues on Paramount+ prevented NWSL fans from viewing over 30 minutes of two games disrupting fan engagement).
[20] See NWSL Editor, Attendance, Viewership, Engagement Soar at Halfway Mark of 2024 National Women’s Soccer League Season, Nat’l Women’s Soccer League (June 27, 2024), https://www.nwslsoccer.com/news/attendance-viewership-engagement-soar-2024-season.(reporting at halfway mark of 2024 season, attendance was up 42% from last year and national broadcast viewership nearly doubled); see also Joella Chase, “Prime Time” for Progress: The NWSL Broadcast Deal & Redefining Women’s Soccer Coverage, Women’s Int’l Football Inst. (Apr. 5, 2024), https://www.womensfootballinstitute.org/research/prime-time-nwsl-broadcast. (researching and reporting NWSL media deal as increasing visibility of women’s soccer but concluding accessibility and consistency as major issues).
[21] See FIFA Gives Fox Rights to Air World Cup in U.S. Until 2026, ESPN (Feb. 12, 2015), https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/2318421/fifa-gives-fox-rights-to-air-world-cup-in-us-until-2026.; FIFA Agrees Women’s World Cup Broadcast Deal for Top European Nations, Reuters (June 14, 2023), https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fifa-agrees-womens-world-cup-broadcast-deal-top-european-nations-2023-06-14/. (noting geographic broadcasting rights for FIFA).
[22] See Alex Silverman & Mollie Cahillane, FIFA Sells Global Media Rights for Club World Cup to DAZN, Sports Business Journal (Dec. 4, 2024), https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/12/04/dazn-fifa-club-world-cup/. (distinguishing 2025 Club World Cup with exclusive streaming service DAZN).
[23] Compare Michel Martin & Isabella Simonetti, NBA, WNBA Sign $77 Billion Media Rights Deals with Disney, NBC, Amazon, NPR (July 25, 2024), https://www.npr.org/2024/07/25/nba-wnba-media-rights-deals-disney-nbc-amazon-tnt., and Mollie Cahillane, WNBA Nears $2.2 Billion National Media Rights Deal, Sports Bus. J. (July 17, 2024), https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2024/07/17/Media/WNBA-media-rights-deal.aspx . (discussing in NBA $77 billion deal, WNBA is getting around $2.2 billion – yes with a b), with Asli Pelit, The NWSL Has Become the New Darling of Ambitious Investors, Front Office Sports (Nov. 22, 2024), https://frontofficesports.com/the-nwsl-has-become-the-new-darling-of-ambitious-investors/. (acknowledging NWSL growth where league had no meaningful national broadcast revenue until 2023 before $240 million deal).
