Karin Sendel: "What FIFPRO has done over the years in the women's game has been exciting"

• Sixty years after FIFPRO was created to protect footballers’ rights, women’s players are influencing the game more than ever through the power of the collective
• Karin Sendel, Israel’s most-capped women’s footballer, plays for Hapoel Tel-Aviv while also serving on FIFPRO’s 12-person global board
• For Sendel, FIFPRO’s 60th anniversary is a moment to not just acknowledge how far the women’s game has come, but to stay focused on what still needs to be delivered

Sixty years after FIFPRO was created to protect footballers’ rights, women’s players are influencing the game more than ever through the power of the collective. Karin Sendel has witnessed that transformation from both sides.

A member of FIFPRO’s current global board, Sendel completed her first term alongside captaining the Israel national team. After retiring from international football as her country’s most-capped player in 2024, Sendel continues to play for Israeli side Hapoel Tel-Aviv while currently serving her second term on FIFPRO’s global board.

For Sendel, FIFPRO’s 60th anniversary is a moment to not just acknowledge how far the women’s game has come, but to stay focused on what still needs to be delivered.

"I think what excites me about FIFPRO is to see the journey and the growth of this organisation," Sendel, who first joined the board in 2021, told FIFPRO.org. "I mean, even to speak about myself, right? Women were not part of the organisation when it was founded; women's football wasn’t a priority."

From individual pioneers to a global collective

Today’s progress and growth in women’s football have deep roots in the courage of trailblazers who challenged barriers at a time when no structures were there to protect them – from USA’s 99ers ushering in a new era of women’s football to the Afghan women’s national team fighting against horrendous abuse.

"The story of women’s football is a story of courage. Every right we have today was earned because players were brave enough to challenge systems that weren’t built for them," said Sendel.

It was in 2014 that FIFPRO and member unions changed their statutes to enable women's players to become members and actively started organising them. In the same year, FIFPRO established a Women’s Football Committee to build a strong platform for women’s players to address their growing needs on a global level. Former goalkeeper Caroline Jonsson, an 80-time Sweden international who played in the 2003 Women’s World Cup final, was named Chair. Internationals such as Marta, Abby Wambach and Nadine Angerer supported the initiative.

In the years that followed, FIFPRO launched a global mobilisation campaign for women’s player rights and created the player-driven Women’s World 11 to celebrate excellence in their field.

"I think what FIFPRO has done over the years, and also in the women's game, has been really exciting," Sendel said.

A decade of real victories

Collective action has delivered significant progress in recent years. Maternity regulations were introduced to protect players who want to start families, with Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir’s landmark case shaping global standards. Ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a letter signed by more than 150 players helped secure better conditions and prize money distribution.

"The collective action ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup was a turning point. It showed the true power of unity," said Sendel. "It wasn’t just about one team or one issue; it was a global statement that women’s players understand their worth and are no longer willing to accept inequality as ‘the way things are’."

Today, FIFPRO’s Women's Football Steering Council now advises on key priorities for the women’s game and ensures that players influence the decisions affecting their careers. It represents a new approach to governance with athletes at the centre.

FIFPRO prioritises women’s player health through initiatives such as Project ACL and the Drake Football Study and its annual Women’s Player Summit ensures the voices of players are heard on issues that matter to them.

"The stronger we are, the more influential we can be in the landscape of the football industry," said Sendel.

Players shaping progress around the world

Collective strength has also transformed national landscapes. In 2022, Sendel and the Israel Football Players Organisation reached a collective agreement with the national federation that equalised conditions for the women’s national team with that of the men. Travel, staff, hotels and pay now have the same standards.

"For me, protecting players’ rights is not only a professional mission – it’s a personal one," Sendel said. "Coming from a region where equality is not guaranteed, I’ve learned that progress happens only when players stand together and refuse to accept the status quo."

Sendel’s experience reflects a global trend: women’s players are increasingly organised, unionised and empowered to change the systems around them. Their leadership is helping define higher standards for the entire industry.

The journey continues

FIFPRO’s anniversary is a reminder that progress is not automatic and takes time. Women’s players still face major challenges today – from unequal working conditions to calendar pressures and pay structures that do not fairly reflect the growth of the game. That is why strengthening the player voice remains essential.

"It is hard to imagine where humanity will be in 60 years," said Sendel. "But I am excited to see what we can do for players and what we want to implement. We want to strengthen our position within the industry to protect the players in the best possible way."

Transparency will guide that work. "Transparency isn’t just good governance, it’s trust. Players can only feel protected when the system is honest with them. In the next decade, we must design a football ecosystem that is safe, transparent, and sustainable for every woman and girl entering the game wherever she plays in the world."

Sixty years of solidarity

The women’s game has changed because players have stood together and demanded better. FIFPRO has been proud to support them through every step of that journey.

The next era will bring new challenges and new opportunities, but the commitment remains the same. Progress in football happens when players lead and when their collective voice is heard.