WPA Board 2500

FIFPRO: a key role within World Players Association

Foundations of Work Explainer

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WPA Board 2500
The World Players Association is the leading voice of organised players in the governance of world sport. It brings together 85,000 players across professional sport through more than 100 player associations in over 60 countries.

FIFPRO is one of the major player associations and with 65,000 active members it has the most athletes. Other organisations include:

  • the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA)
  • the International Rugby Players’ Association (IRPA)
  • the European Elite Athletes’ Association (EU Athletes)
  • the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA)
  • the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA)
  • the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)
  • the Japanese Professional Baseball Players Association (JPBPA)
  • the Australian Athletes’ Alliance (AAA)

The world’s footballers are united with athletes across sport to ensure the rights of all players are respected and that international sport is governed free of corruption, cheating and the abuse of human rights. We will act across the world with solidarity.

To ensure the voice of the players is heeded in sports, the World Players Association has a strategic vision which is focussed on three pillars.

  1. Voice: Build the voice of the players and the power of the player association movement
  2. Dignity: Embed the fundamental rights of the players in world sport
  3. Humanity: Work to embed the human rights of everyone involved in the delivery of sport, included affected groups such as workers, local communities, journalists and fans.

“Our vision is to champion the dignity of the player and the humanity of sport,” explained the director of the World Players Association, Brendan Schwab

“We have a three-part goal in the pursuit of this vision. First, the human rights of everyone involved in the delivery of sport must be protected, respected and fulfilled. Second, the same must be true for the players. And, third, the impact of sport must be positive, including in sporting, economic, environmental and cultural terms.”

World Players President Don Fehr, the Executive Director of the NHLPA said, “The purpose of World Players is to ensure that the players across sports who have common interests get together and play their role so that the key decisions in world sport that affect them are no longer made without their agreement.”

“As a guiding principle, we hold that all players should be free to negotiate the terms upon which they are involved in world sport, and to be represented by persons and organisations of their choice.”

“The players are very concerned about human rights, very concerned about labour rights and recognise that neither means very much without a prompt and effective remedy.”


The World Players Executive Committee consist of 11 members. Four of them are FIFPRO representatives.

Don Fehr (President, Canada), NHLPA Executive Director
Jonas Baer-Hoffmann (Vice President, Germany), FIFPro General Secretary
Tony Irish (Vice President, South Africa), FICA Executive Chairman
Michele Roberts (Vice President, United States), NBPA Executive Director
Tony Clark (United States), MLBPA Executive Director
Camila Garcia (Chile), FIFPRO and Chair Chilean Female Player Union ANJUFF
Omar Hassanein (Ireland), the Chief Executive Officer of International Rugby Players
Terri Jackson (United States), the Executive Director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA)
Paul Marsh (Australia), Board member of the Australian Athletes Alliance (AAA)
DeMaurice Smith (United States), NFLPA Executive Director
Dejan Stefanovic (Slovenia), FIFPRO and President Slovenian Player Union SPINS
Paulina Tomczyk (Belgium), EA Athletes General Secretary
Frederique Winia (The Netherlands), FIFPRO Director Member Services
Takuya Yamazaki (Japan), Legal Counsel and Board Member of the JPBPA