They’re Playing R. Song. Football and the European Union after Bosman

The purpose of this article is to discuss some of the ramifications of the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) ruling in Belgian Football Association v. Bosman (hereafter Bosman). Much has been written about the background to this case and its possible financial impact upon professional football clubs (cf. Morrow, Morris & Spink, 1996; Szymanski & Kuypers, 1999). This paper discusses Bosman and other cases in order to provide those working in other jurisdictions and those from other disciplines, with some basic information about the legal issues that arose in Bosman. It documents the football industry’s reaction to the decision (especially on the all-important issues of transfer fees and player quotas) and discusses some important judgments that have been handed down since Bosman. It also looks at how football’s relationship with the institutions of the European Union (EU), had (not) progressed in the five years or so since the Bosman ruling. In this respect, particular attention is paid to the European Football Association’s (UEFA) and the Federation of International Football Association’s (FIFA) troubled relationship with the European Commission – an immensely powerful body which the football industry needs to court if th