FIFPRO Europe: Statement

• FIFPRO Europe and the undersigned unions welcome the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between FIFPRO and FIFA on 10 June 2026, effective immediately and running until 31 December 2031
• The MOU includes concrete reforms on FIFA's governance architecture – including on the transfer system and FIFA RSTP – and establishes a Global Social Dialogue Platform based on collective bargaining principles
• In this new environment, institutional promotion and active endorsement of the class action by player unions is no longer needed as the governance objectives that motivated it have been achieved. As a consequence, the undersigned unions withdraw their support for the class action by the Dutch foundation Justice for Players

In August 2025, FIFPRO Europe recognised the launch of the class action by the Dutch foundation Justice for Players as the anticipated practical response to the CJEU's Diarra judgment. While FIFPRO Europe decided not to support the class action, the undersigned unions subsequently endorsed it and supported the onboarding of players. 

At the time, those decisions were made in the legitimate exercise of unions' core responsibility to protect their members' rights. The focus of the undersigned unions was to address fundamental issues of governance, which form part of the class action claim.  

Structural reforms addressing the main drivers of union-led support for Justice for Players

The landscape has now materially changed. The MOU establishes a Global Social Dialogue Platform – with dedicated workstreams on the transfer system and regulatory matters, domestic transfer systems, and player welfare and occupational health and safety – in which FIFPRO, the World Leagues Association and European Football Clubs participate as social partners. 

Importantly, alongside the MOU, a new regulatory framework for the transfer system was adopted.  This is based on the outcome of a collective agreement between FIFPRO, the WLA and the EFC, with the involvement of UEFA and CONMEBOL, and in accordance with the principles established by the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Diarra ruling. The resulting collectively bargained amendments to the FIFA RSTP materially address the main drivers of union-led support of the class action arising from the Diarra ruling. Moving forward, any future amendments to the FIFA RSTP will require collective agreement between the social partners.

In addition to these significant developments, FIFPRO-appointed representatives will serve on FIFA's Football Tribunal, judicial bodies and standing committees, and FIFPRO will also be represented on the FIFA Council (as an observer with speaking rights) in relation to player-related matters. These developments, and other commitments anchored in the MOU, reflect an acknowledgment by FIFA that players must be genuine partners in the governance of the game, grounded in internationally recognised labour rights and principles.

Withdrawal of support for the class action

In this new environment, and without prejudice to the personal and independent rights of individual players to make their own choices to claim compensation, the undersigned unions consider that the institutional promotion and active endorsement of the class action no longer serves a purpose, as the governance objectives that motivated it have been achieved. 

Consequently, these unions withdraw their support for this class action moving forward. The absence of institutional representation that motivated union support has been structurally addressed. Player unions will now invest their collective energy in making the Global Social Dialogue Platform effective. Alongside FIFPRO Europe, the undersigned unions will monitor the implementation of these agreements closely.