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In a move that closes the curtain on one of American soccer’s most intense legal battles, the U.S. Soccer Federation and Relevent Sports have reached a confidential settlement, ending a six-year-long antitrust saga that played out in New York federal court like a high-stakes penalty shootout.

A Long-Fought Battle Reaches the Final Whistle

The dispute began in 2019 when Relevent Sports, a global soccer promotion powerhouse, sued both U.S. Soccer and FIFA. At the heart of the clash: a 2018 FIFA policy banning official league matches from being played outside the home territory of competing teams. Relevent claimed the rule destroyed its plans to bring two official international matches to Florida—a major blow to its business and a market eager for world-class soccer.

In a notice filed Thursday, Relevent voluntarily dismissed its claims against U.S. Soccer. Attorney Jeffrey L. Kessler of Winston & Strawn LLP confirmed a confidential agreement had been reached, ending a long legal slog marked by delays, dropped motions, and rekindled negotiations.

“Ultimately, we all share the same goal: growing the sport throughout America,” said Relevent CEO Danny Sillman. “We’re excited to continue supporting clubs from Europe and around the world to expand the sport’s reach and impact across the U.S.”

Settlement Born from Restarted Talks and FIFA Exit

Although previous settlement attempts had collapsed—most notably in the fall of 2023—the legal tide shifted when Relevent and FIFA struck a separate deal in April 2024. That agreement removed FIFA from the suit and included a commitment from the global governing body to consider revising the contentious policy limiting match locations.

That breakthrough rekindled negotiations between Relevent and U.S. Soccer. A joint letter filed on March 17 signaled the parties were once again working toward resolution. This time, it stuck.

The lawsuit had been in limbo for nearly a year, with discovery paused and a motion to dismiss from U.S. Soccer tossed without prejudice. As of last week, both sides were preparing to resume discovery and report progress by April 15. The confidential resolution has made that update unnecessary.

Inside the Courtroom and Beyond

The case had broader implications for the globalization of club soccer and the ability of promoters to bring high-profile matches to American fans. Relevent’s push to break barriers on where matches can be played was seen by many as a challenge to FIFA’s deeply rooted territorial traditions.

For its part, U.S. Soccer maintained throughout the lawsuit that it was merely adhering to FIFA’s directive and had little influence over the international policy that triggered the dispute.

U.S. Soccer did not respond to requests for comment following news of the settlement.

The Legal Line-Up

Relevent Sports was represented by a heavy-hitting legal team: Jeffrey L. Kessler, Jonathan J. Amoona, Angela A. Smedley, and Adam I. Dale of Winston & Strawn LLP.

U.S. Soccer’s defense was led by Lawrence E. Buterman and Christopher S. Yates of Latham & Watkins LLP.

Final Score: A Win for Soccer’s Future in the U.S.

While the case ends without a trial, it has already impacted the dialogue around international match policies and opened the door for future legal and commercial flexibility in the sport’s ever-globalizing landscape. Whether this settlement sets a precedent or merely resets the scoreboard remains to be seen, but for now, both sides seem eager to get back to what they do best—growing the game.