Sports Law in 2026 – Key Issues to Watch in Europe

Here are the top sports law issues to watch out for in 2026 in Europe from the LawInSport Editorial and Advisory Board.  We hope this proves useful not only in identifying specific cases and issues, but also in detecting broader themes when read in conjunction with the contributions from other jurisdictions.

Contributors:

• Marc Peltier, Associate Professor Of Law, University Of Nice, France
  • Bill on the Governance and Structural Regulation of Professional Football
• Maciej Bałaziński, Attorney-At-Law, Kancelaria Prawna Maciej Bałaziński I Współpracownicy, Poland (assisted by Karolina Letniowska, Advocat)
  • Further Changes in Polish football law
  • How the PZPN Coaching Convention Works in Practice
• Jan Kleiner, Director of Football Regulatory, FIFA; Jonáš Gürtler, Attorney At Law, Zurich, Switzerland
  • The New Swiss "Branchenstandard" (Industry Standard) For Governance and Ethics in Sport
• Christian Keidel, Partner, Lentze Stopper, Germany (assisted by Marvin Thormann, Associate)
  • ECJ Decision in the Dispute Between DFB and Football Agents
• Marie-Anne Lindhardt, Partner, MAQS Law Firm, Sweden
  • Sponsorship Under Swedish Tax Law—Awaiting the Government’s Final Decision
  • Organised Crime Within Sports
• Michele Colucci, Honorary President at Italian Association of Sports Lawyers
  • EU Cases Relating to the FIFA Football Agents Regulations
• Josep Vandellos, Founder/Partner, Vandellos Sports Law, Spain
  • Legal Challenges Surrounding the IFEMA Circuit for Madrid’s 2026 Formula 1 Grand Prix
  • CAS To Rule On Euskadi’s International Recognition In Basque Pelota
• Despina Mavromati, Attorney-at-law, Sportlegis, Switzerland
  • Unfolding Regulatory Developments in International Sport
• Sven Demeulemeester & Willem-Alexander Devlies, ATFiELD, Belgium
• • The ECJ’s decision in the FFAR cases
  • FIFA’s revision of the transfer system and the Justice For Players claim
  • The ECJ’s decision in the FIGC and CONI cases on sporting sanctions

We would like to thank each member of our Editorial and Advisory Board for taking the time out of their busy schedules to share their views with us, and also more broadly for their significant input into LawInSport over the course of the year. Thank you.