Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has taken his contract dispute with the Premier League club to FIFA, with the France international challenging the validity of the final year of his current deal.

Mateta’s contract with Palace is currently scheduled to run until June 2027, but the striker is contesting the validity of the 12-month extension activated by the club.

Contract dispute escalates

According to reports, Mateta maintains that the additional year exercised by Crystal Palace should not be considered valid.

The 29-year-old initially joined the club from Mainz in January 2021 on an 18-month loan before completing a permanent transfer a year later.

He signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with an option for a further 12 months, which Palace exercised in 2024 to extend his stay through the 2026/27 season.

The matter was previously considered by an independent tribunal under Premier League regulations.

Although the outcome has not been officially announced, reports indicate that Mateta’s contract remains binding.

FIFA rejects jurisdiction

After the domestic process, Mateta took his case to FIFA.

However, the world football governing body reportedly ruled that it did not have jurisdiction over the dispute.

Despite the disagreement over his contract, Mateta remains involved with Crystal Palace and started the club’s Premier League opener against Everton on Saturday.

Palace future remains uncertain

Mateta’s future has been uncertain since January when he came close to leaving Selhurst Park for Italian club AC Milan.

The proposed transfer collapsed after an issue reportedly emerged during his medical examination.

Crystal Palace have since offered the striker a new contract that could keep him at the club until 2030, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.

Mateta has scored more than 60 goals for Palace and played a significant role in the club’s recent achievements, including their FA Cup and UEFA Conference League triumphs.

Free-agent possibility looms

Should Mateta eventually succeed in his challenge against the contract extension, he could potentially become a free agent before the current June 2027 expiry date.

For now, however, the striker remains contracted to Palace, with his ongoing dispute adding further uncertainty to his long-term future at the club.