US SUPREME COURT WON'T HEAR U.S. SOCCER CASE OVER HOSTING FOREIGN MATCHES

By Mike Scarcella

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal by U.S. Soccer, leaving it to face an antitrust lawsuit that could open up the United States to official soccer matches involving foreign clubs.

The justices without comment said they would not take up the soccer organization’s challenge to a decision last year that revived the case, which was brought by New York-based promoter Relevent Sports.

Relevent filed the lawsuit in 2019, accusing U.S. Soccer of conspiring with FIFA, the sport's international governing body, to bar official foreign matches in the United States.

In its Supreme Court petition, U.S. Soccer argued that the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals improperly ruled in 2023 that the organization could be held liable as a member of FIFA for agreeing to the rules of its association.

The U.S. Justice Department had urged the high court not to take the case, which is pending in Brooklyn federal court.

U.S. Soccer and attorneys for Relevent on Monday did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Earlier this month FIFA said it had settled with Relevent, which is controlled by billionaire Miami Dolphins football team owner Stephen Ross.

The terms of FIFA's settlement have not been publicly disclosed, but the organization has indicated it would be bound by future rulings in the case.

U.S. Soccer has argued that it played no role as a FIFA member in forming the 2018 policy at the heart of the case, under which foreign teams can hold only “friendly” matches in the United States that do not count for standings.

The organization told the Supreme Court that the 2nd Circuit's decision "imperils thousands of entities that belong to membership associations providing pro-competitive benefits across a wide range of industries."

The Justice Department in its Supreme Court filing said U.S. Soccer's challenge “dramatically overstates” the reach of the 2nd Circuit's ruling, which it said would not have “harmful policy consequences.”

The case is United States Soccer Federation Inc, v. Relevent Sports LLC, et al, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 23-120.

For U.S. Soccer: Gregory Garre of Latham & Watkins

For Relevent: Linda Coberly of Winston & Strawn

Read more:

FIFA resolves lawsuit by sports promoter owned by billionaire Ross

White House urges justices to skip U.S. Soccer appeal over foreign matches

U.S. Soccer appeals 'radical' antitrust ruling to US Supreme Court

(Reporting by Mike Scarcella)

2024-04-22T16:08:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd