Former footballers Yasser Mugerwa and Mubarak Tenywa represented Uganda at a consultative meeting between FIFA and retired footballers in Rabat, Morocco over the weekend.
The meeting was attended by representatives from 30 players’ unions, following on from the constructive exchanges in July in New York, United States, between FIFA and players’ unions in the context of the FIFA Club World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and other FIFA officials held fruitful discussions with players’ unions from across the world. The meeting was also attended by the members of the Players’ Voice Panel, including honorary captain George Weah, and several legends and world champions from men’s and women’s football.
The first point of agreement between the representatives present was the formalisation of the creation of the FIFA Professional Players Consultation Forum as a group to advance the collective interests of professional players around the world.
The following key initiatives, which focus on player welfare and general working conditions, were endorsed by FIFA and over 30 players’ unions worldwide:
Player rest and recovery:
-At least 72 hours of rest between matches,
-Rest period/holiday of at least 21 days between seasons,
-One rest day per week, and
-Measures to consider long-haul intercontinental trips and climatic conditions.
FIFA Fund for Professional Players
FIFA will establish and manage a fund for professional players, allocating an investment of USD 20 million for the 2026-2029 period.
The objective of the fund is to provide financial support to players who are unable to recover outstanding salaries due to financial difficulties faced by their clubs. The relevant regulations will be defined by FIFA in due course in consultation with the players’ unions.
Representation of players’ unions in FIFA bodies
Players’ unions representatives will be included in a number of FIFA Committees to ensure the players’ voice is heard in the consultative processes at the highest level.
Development support for players’ unions
FIFA will establish a dedicated support mechanism for players’ unions subject to strict good governance criteria. This support will be aimed at developing players’ union activities within their respective national jurisdictions. Special focus will be given to programmes aimed at training and educating youth and professional players, as well as developing and growing women’s football.
Legal matters
A working group involving FIFA and the players’ unions will be established to advance legal matters through regular meetings and continuous dialogue. The working group will cover topics such as the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, national dispute resolution chambers and minimum standards for player contracts.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino indicates they are committed to improving the welfare of players.
“At FIFA, we remain committed to further enhancing player welfare and working conditions across the world by implementing concrete and meaningful measures with a view to improving football for the future,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Further meetings between FIFA and players’ unions are due to take place in the coming months.