ECJ Affirms Stronger Judicial Oversight In Sports Arbitration

In a landmark decision on 1 August 2025, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) delivered its judgment in Case C‑600/23 (RFC Seraing v. FIFA), confirming that decisions by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) must be subject to full judicial review by EU national courts to ensure alignment with EU law and public policy.

This follows the earlier non-binding Opinion by Advocate General Tamara Ćapeta (16 January 2025), which argued that arbitration imposed unilaterally by sports bodies like FIFA does not satisfy the voluntary-consent standard under EU law and should not preclude access to judicial protection.

This decision marks a significant shift in EU sports law, affirming that arbitration cannot circumvent the basic rights guaranteed by Union law.