October 30 – In a landmark move, global players’ union Fifpro are to be handed a place on UEFA’s executive committee after agreeing a partnership which the union said will “increase the voice of players in European football governance.”
The two bodies announced a working agreement on Tuesday that will give players more input on issues such as the congested match calendar.
The move comes during a season when stars like new Ballon d’Or winner Rodri have warned they could go on strike to protest the number of games in an overloaded calendar.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin (pictured right) said the partnership “represents a new era in our relationship with Fifpro”.
“Players are at the heart of football, and their perspectives must shape the decisions taken,” Ceferin said.
“By inviting them to join the UEFA Executive Committee, we are creating a more inclusive future for the game, one in which the topic of player welfare will be at the forefront.”
The three-year deal was announced in the same month Fifpro Europe was one of several parties to an official legal complaint to the European Commission that specifically targeted FIFA, claiming world football’s governing body breaches EU competition law in the way its competitions – notably next summer’s 32-team Club World Cup – are expanded without proper consultation.
Although FIFA itself has just announced a multi-stakeholder working group to look into growing concerns about the calendar, giving Fifpro Europe a place on its exco, albeit in an advisory capacity, is a smart move by UEFA to whisk away the moral high ground.
“UEFA has committed to involving Fifpro Europe in any decision that could affect players’ employment conditions, or any potential competition reform that could impact players’ workload,” the union said in a statement from Paris where the accord was signed.
UEFA isn’t immune from criticism about player overload having added games this season to its top club competitions, the Champions League and Europa League, partly to stave off the threat of a breakaway Super League. But the new accord will go a long way to bringing the players on board in terms of future discussions.
Indeed, UEFA pledged to involve “active players and player representatives” in a Professional Players’ Advisory Forum that will meet for the first time in December. Thereafter a Fifpro Europe delegate to the executive committee will take their seat in May. Clubs already have a quota of two seats on the committee and the European Leagues group has one.
“This agreement is a hugely positive milestone for professional players across Europe,” Fifpro Europe President David Terrier (pictured left) said. “With player representation now anchored at UEFA’s highest level, we are securing a stronger voice for players where it matters most.”
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