A significant rift has emerged between FIFA and the international football players’ union, FIFPRO, after the global governing body chose to exclude the union from upcoming high-level talks on athlete welfare.
Key discussions are scheduled to take place in Rabat, Morocco, this weekend. While FIFA has extended invitations to several national player associations, the global representative body for professional footballers was notably omitted from the guest list. FIFPRO serves as the umbrella organization for over 65,000 players worldwide, encompassing 72 national unions.
According to FIFA’s invitation, the forum aims to address pressing challenges faced by modern players, with the governing body covering all travel and accommodation expenses. Sources indicate FIFA feels a pressing duty to advance new welfare standards and has decided to move forward without the global union’s direct involvement.
This decision follows a period of escalating tensions. The relationship deteriorated after a similar meeting in New York last year, which FIFPRO also was not invited to attend. The union’s president subsequently criticized FIFA’s approach to player protection at a recent major tournament, drawing a sharp rebuke from the governing body. FIFA accused the union’s leadership of engaging in public relations conflicts rather than genuine dialogue and demanded greater financial transparency.
In response to being sidelined from the Rabat meeting, FIFPRO stated it was “surprised” by the exclusion. The union has previously suspended members who attended the earlier New York meeting without its endorsement, and it is understood some of those officials are expected to participate in the upcoming talks. This move by FIFA signals a deepening conflict over who rightfully represents player interests in critical negotiations concerning their health and workload.