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Striker Emiliano Sala had just signed with Cardiff City before his death in a plane crash in January 2019
Cardiff City's court case against Nantes over the death of Emiliano Sala, which had been scheduled to begin on 22 September, has been adjourned until December.
Cardiff filed a complaint in a French court against Nantes in April 2025, claiming losses of more than £100m following a dispute over striker Sala's death.
Sala, a 28-year-old Argentina striker, and pilot David Ibbotson died in a plane crash in January 2019 while travelling to south Wales from Nantes to join his new club.
A statement issued by Cardiff read: "The request [to adjourn] comes from FC Nantes, which claims it is not 'ready' to plead the case, despite the hearing date having been set since April 2025."
The statement continued: "Cardiff City FC reaffirms its trust in the French justice system and will be ready to present its case in court on 8 December."
The Welsh club was relegated later in the season in which Sala was due to join and is now in League One after relegation from the Championship last season.
They have opted to take separate legal action against Nantes after the Swiss Federal Tribunal decided the Court of Arbitration in Sport (Cas) did not have jurisdiction to deal with the Bluebirds' claim for damages.
Cardiff said in April that an estimated figure of 120.2m euros (£104m) was being sought after "an in-depth analysis" by a legal expert.
Cardiff were subject to a transfer embargo from world governing body Fifa after their initial refusal to pay Nantes the first instalment of the £15m transfer fee for Sala.
The club paid that sum in January 2023 after an appeal with Cas failed. That payment ended Fifa sanctions.
The estimate for damages stem from the claimed financial and reputational losses represented by Cardiff's relegation from the Premier League in 2019.
