FIFPRO
FIFPRO
0%
10/11/2025
  • FIFPRO was not invited to meeting hosted by FIFA to discuss player-related matters
  • Those invited not a meaningful global representation of independent player unions
  • FIFPRO ready for fair, structured and genuine negotiations on player rights and welfare

FIFPRO takes note of FIFA's announcement that at a meeting in Rabat, Morocco it presented several player-related measures following discussions with certain groups and individuals, mainly brought by FIFA member associations from around the world. FIFPRO was not invited to the meeting.

The meeting did not involve a meaningful global representation of independent player unions that speak on behalf of players and are an integral part of labour negotiations.

This approach reinforces a concerning pattern. FIFA has previously applied similar strategies with agents and fans, creating FIFA-friendly organisations for consultation processes rather than engaging with the recognised football representative bodies. Extending this practice to employment matters and promoting fake or ‘yellow’ unions undermines collective worker representation and runs counter to International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.

FIFA presented the FIFA Fund for Professional Players as a new initiative although it was originally established in collaboration with FIFPRO in 2020 to support players when they could not recover unpaid wages by their clubs through legal means; the fund was discontinued by FIFA after 2022.

FIFPRO is seeking common sense solutions for the football industry through open, transparent and non-discriminatory governance processes. These principles already exist in the European Union, where such matters are currently addressed between the proper representation of European Leagues, European Football Clubs and FIFPRO Europe*.

This approach is demonstrated by the proposal for a governance framework presented jointly by FIFPRO and World Leagues Association to address the issues in the complaint by European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe over FIFA’s imposition of the International Match Calendar – a proposal to which FIFA has not yet responded.

While FIFA has made some important advances together with FIFPRO in recent years, FIFA continues to hide its unilateral governance structure of professional football behind so-called stakeholder consultation – a deeply flawed process as shown with the meeting in Rabat.

As the global representative of players, FIFPRO is ready to hold structured labour dialogue and negotiations with FIFA and all relevant stakeholders on all matters involving employment rights including the right to (1) be paid on time, (2) a fair transfer system, (3) adequate protection from occupational risks such as lack of rest and holiday.

FIFA should help establish a proper collective bargaining process at global level based on ILO standards and conventions. This process must be fair, structured and genuine.

* The EU football collective bargaining agreement (CBA) framework is formally known as the “European Sectoral Social Dialogue for Professional Football”. The negotiation process is under the auspices of the European Commission, with European Leagues and European Football Clubs representing clubs (the employers) on one side, and FIFPRO Europe the exclusive recognised representative of the players (the employees) on the other side. The process is chaired by UEFA, which has no voting rights.