Bosman ruling

British  

/ ˈbɒzmən /

noun

1. soccer an EU ruling that allows out-of-contract footballers to leave their clubs without the clubs receiving a transfer fee

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Etymology

Origin of Bosman ruling

C20: named after Jean-Marc Bosman (born 1964), Belgian footballer whose court case brought about the ruling

Example Sentences

But that all changed in 1995 when the Bosman ruling - a case that fought to improve the rights of European players - significantly altered the landscape of football on the continent.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

For Aigner, the Bosman ruling had a major influence on how European football has been transformed since.

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2022

Football transformed itself in the wake of the Bosman ruling, 25 years ago this week, which allowed players to move freely within the European Union when their contracts ended.

From The Guardian • Dec. 18, 2020

The Bosman ruling that let players freely leave at the end of their contracts had broken up that team long before then, and denied Lierse the chance to collect fat fees for their transfers.

From New York Times • Sep. 9, 2017

I know the reasons I not have a Bosman ruling they've got at the moment.

From The Guardian • Oct. 21, 2010