French Labour Tribunal Orders PSG to Pay Mbappé €60.9 Million Amid Contentious Contract Dispute

Key Takeaways:

• The Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris has ruled that PSG must pay Kylian Mbappé €60.9 million in relation to the end of his contract before his summer 2024 transfer to Real Madrid
• PSG sought €440 million in damages from Mbappé, while the player’s lawyers pursued more than €260 million from the club, alleging unfair dismissal and unpaid wages
• Both parties retain the right to appeal Tuesday’s decision, as the case continues to raise significant questions regarding football labour contracts in France

Background to the Legal Battle

Lawyers representing both Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappé presented their arguments last month at the Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris, each side demanding substantial sums in the aftermath of the French striker’s contract termination prior to his move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024.

Mbappé’s legal team contended that PSG owed him in excess of €260 million ($305 million), arguing that his fixed-term contract should be converted to a permanent one. They claimed this would entitle the forward to compensation for unfair dismissal and arrears in wages, and accused the club of both moral harassment and undeclared work.

🚨 Official: Kylian Mbappe has won the lawsuit against PSG, with judge ruling in the player’s favor. 🇫🇷

As a result, the Court of Paris have sided with the footballer and order PSG to pay around €61 million, reports RMC. pic.twitter.com/9tPnsJiEBN

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 16, 2025

Conversely, PSG countered by demanding €440 million from Mbappé, pointing to loss of opportunity and damages incurred following his free transfer. The acrimonious dispute has involved accusations of betrayal and harassment surrounding the player’s departure and the breakdown of the relationship between both parties.

Court Ruling and Potential Implications

The Paris labour tribunal decided on Tuesday that PSG must pay €60.9 million to Mbappé. However, this judgement is subject to appeal and is unlikely to resolve the wider conflict between the club and their former player.

The ruling could set important precedents regarding the interpretation and classification of professional player contracts in French football. Despite this, PSG has maintained that Mbappé’s claim to reclassify his contract lacks legal merit. The club stated that footballers’ contracts are a distinct form of fixed-term agreement, governed by the sports code and approved by the French professional league, in line with both national and European Union regulations.

Mbappé’s legal representatives opposed this view, asserting that the reclassification of fixed-term deals into permanent contracts is standard judicial procedure if the requisite conditions for a fixed-term agreement are not met.

Chronology of a Fractured Relationship

The fallout between Mbappé – a 2018 World Cup winner – and the reigning French champions began in 2023, when he opted against extending his contract due to run out in summer 2024. PSG had previously offered the striker the most lucrative deal in the club’s history in 2022. By declining to renew, Mbappé’s decision deprived PSG of the chance to secure a transfer fee.

The dispute escalated: Mbappé was excluded from the preseason tour and required to train apart from the first team, missing the league opener before returning after talks with officials. These negotiations, and their details, became a focal point of the legal challenge.

PSG accused Mbappé of breaking an August 2023 agreement, which allegedly would have reduced his pay in the event of a free transfer, a mechanism the club argued was necessary for safeguarding its finances. PSG also claimed that Mbappé had concealed his intention not to sign an extension for nearly 11 months (from July 2022 to June 2023), which the club argues prevented them from orchestrating a profitable transfer and caused significant financial loss. Further allegations included breaches of contract and violations of good faith and loyalty.

Claims of Unpaid Wages and Harassment

According to Mbappé’s legal team, PSG failed to provide evidence of any agreement by the player to waive payments. They further claimed that the club withheld wages and bonuses for April, May, and June 2024. As a result, Mbappé is seeking both the outstanding payments and reclassification of his contract, which could trigger additional compensation.

Mbappé also raised allegations of moral harassment, citing his exclusion during preseason. PSG firmly denied these charges, insisting that Mbappé featured in over 94% of matches during the 2023–24 season and always operated under fully compliant professional conditions.