FIFA and players' union FIFPRO announce cooperation agreement

FIFA and the global players' union FIFPRO have announced a significant cooperation agreement, formally recognizing FIFPRO as the world's professional players' union until December 2031. This landmark deal grants players a formal voice in football's governance and establishes a framework for negotiating critical issues like the transfer system, player welfare rules, and mandatory rest periods.

Under the agreement, FIFPRO secures a seat on the FIFA Council for the first time and will have player representatives on FIFA's legal committees. In return, FIFPRO and its member unions commit to withdrawing all current lawsuits against FIFA and ending support for other legal claims. FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the agreement as "a new era," emphasizing the importance of protecting players' well-being.

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Players shape the game we all love, and we must ensure their protection and well-being.

The new framework aims to create a platform for player representatives, clubs, and leagues to collectively agree on future changes. This includes respecting the international match calendar and ensuring clubs release players for national team duty. FIFPRO President Sergio Marchi called it "an important step forward for football," ensuring players have a "meaningful voice."

The agreement also includes a $20 million fund for 2026-2029 to assist players with unpaid salaries and outlines plans for global minimum standards for women's national teams. While FIFPRO withdraws its claims, it has urged members to distance themselves from a separate, multi-billion-euro class action lawsuit by the Dutch foundation Justice for Players (JfP), which remains active.

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This agreement represents an important step forward for football. Ensuring that players and their representatives have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their careers is not only beneficial for footballers, but for the game as a whole.