FIFA and global players’ union FIFPRO have signed a ground-breaking partnership agreement that will give professional footballers a greater role in shaping the future of football, including transfer rules, player welfare policies and working conditions.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), announced on the eve of the FIFA World Cup, runs until 2031 and creates a framework for collective decision-making involving players, clubs, leagues and governing bodies.
As part of the deal, FIFA formally recognizes FIFPRO as the global representative of professional footballers. In return, FIFPRO, its divisions and affiliated unions will withdraw ongoing legal actions against FIFA.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino described the agreement as the beginning of “a new era” in relations between the two organizations, stressing the importance of protecting players and ensuring their voices are heard in decisions that directly affect them.
A key feature of the agreement is the establishment of a Global Platform for Social Dialogue, chaired by FIFA. The body will discuss transfer rules, player welfare, health and safety standards at work, mandatory rest periods, recovery time, holidays and career transition support. Any future changes in these areas will require a collective agreement.
FIFPRO will also be represented on the FIFA Football Tribunal, judicial bodies and various committees, while it will have a non-voting observer seat on the FIFA Council. The agreement further commits both parties to developing minimum standards for women’s national teams and exploring future models for the distribution of prize money from FIFA’s senior competitions.
The announcement comes amid mounting criticism of FIFA’s governing body and follows a recent settlement in the legal dispute involving former France midfielder Lassana Diarra.
Published on June 11, 2026
