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.
