FIFA is discussing the issue of player protection again without inviting the international players’ union FIFPRO. The dispute goes into the next round.
The world association FIFA wants to talk about the concerns of football professionals in Morocco’s capital Rabat on Saturday. To do this, he invited unions from all over the world – but not the international players’ union FIFPRO. The English newspaper “Guardian” reported on this.
“We are surprised that FIFA has once again invited player representatives to a meeting without inviting FIFPRO, which represents more than 65,000 players through our affiliated players’ unions,” FIFPRO wrote in a statement.
Escalation during the Club World Cup
This continues the open dispute between the world association and the players’ union. FIFPRO, together with the European league association and Spain’s La Liga, filed a complaint with the European Commission a year ago because FIFA was abusing its dominant market position. The process is still ongoing.
The biggest point of contention is the high strain on the professionals in their busy schedule, which was further filled last summer by the new, enlarged Club World Cup. The situation escalated during the controversial competition in July. FIFA held a meeting with unions in New York on player protection without taking FIFPRO into account.
Its president Sergio Marchi described the Club World Cup as “a reminiscence of the ‘bread and circuses’ of Nero Rome. What was presented as a global football celebration was nothing more than a fiction created by FIFA and promoted by its president, without dialogue, sensitivity and respect for those who support the sport with their daily efforts.”
FIFA makes demands
FIFA reacted with accusations and demands. The FIFPRO has “Instead of constructive dialogue, we chose a path of public confrontation characterized by artificial PR battles.” This has nothing to do with protecting professional players, but rather aims “rather aimed at protecting one’s own personal positions and interests”.
FIFPRO could return to the negotiating table, “as soon as it stops its attempts at blackmail, withdraws its complaints and publishes its statutes” have. It should also release all sources of income and a complete list of individual members.
FIFPRO represents unions from major football nations
Obviously, FIFA doesn’t think the time has come yet to sit down at the table with FIFPRO again. She wants to go to Morocco “Player representatives from around the world will discuss important issues players face in modern football” – that’s what the invitation says, according to the Guardian.
FIFPRO is missing, although as an international umbrella organization it has 72 members, including 36 from Europe. The unions from England and France are also part of FIFPRO.
Sports show, July 13th, 2025 7:40 p.m