What the FIFPRO and FIFA agreement means for players

FIFPRO today announces two landmark agreements that together mark a turning point in how professional football is governed worldwide: a comprehensive reform of the international transfer system and a new cooperation framework (memorandum of understanding) with FIFA running until 2031.

The agreements are the result of extensive negotiations launched following the Court of Justice of the European Union’s Diarra ruling in October 2024 – a milestone case supported by FIFPRO, FIFPRO Europe and UNFP – and build on years of advocacy by players and their unions for a fairer, more balanced and more inclusive approach to football governance.

A new era of social dialogue in global football governance

At the heart of the agreement with FIFA is a new Global Social Dialogue Platform through which future changes to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) will be negotiated collectively. Inspired by nearly two decades of social dialogue in European football, the Platform brings together FIFA and football’s recognised social partners, with FIFPRO representing players worldwide.

This means future changes to the transfer system will be based on consensus rather than unilateral decision-making. This is one of the most significant advances in player representation ever achieved in global football. Players will no longer simply be subject to the rules that govern their careers – they will shape them.

New rights and protections within the transfer system

Developed through discussions involving FIFA, FIFPRO, European Football Clubs (EFC), World Leagues Association (WLA), UEFA and CONMEBOL, the reforms introduce important new rights and protections for players while preserving the key foundations of the transfer system.

For the first time, players globally will have a recognised stake in the economic value generated by their own transfer. Players earning below or equivalent to EUR 150,000 per season are guaranteed a direct share of the transfer fee generated by their move, with a mandatory minimum of five percent paid directly by the selling club. The principle is simple: when a player’s talent creates value, players should have a share in it.

Players will also benefit from long-overdue changes to Article 17 of the RSTP – the provision at the heart of the Diarra case. They can no longer see compensation owed to them reduced simply because they found a new club after being treated unfairly. Where clubs breach their obligations, players are entitled to their full contractual remuneration, with additional penalties and damages available in cases involving abusive conduct.

Players will be better protected from abusive practices. Demoting players, forcing them to train in isolation as a form of pressure, withholding passports or abusing registration procedures are now expressly prohibited. These practices have affected too many players for too long and have no place in modern football.

Players will further benefit from stronger enforcement of their rights. Clubs that fail to respect their contractual obligations will face swifter and more effective sporting and financial consequences, while overdue payments will now attract an eight percent interest rate. Where clubs fail to pay salaries and national football authorities fail to act, players will have a more direct route to FIFA, helping to ensure that binding decisions are enforced wherever they play.

The reforms also provide greater certainty for players and clubs alike. Liquidated damages clauses and agreed exit mechanisms are encouraged from the outset of a contract, while ensuring that their quantification remains reasonable and proportionate, to ensure that the vast majority of players worldwide see their remuneration guaranteed as a minimum threshold. Key elements of the transfer system, including the protected period and joint liability mechanisms, are being refined to ensure greater proportionality and legal certainty.

Young players also stand to benefit. Club-trained young players will be able to sign a five-year first professional contract, creating greater stability and development opportunities while benefiting from safeguards designed to protect their sporting, educational and economic interests.

At the same time, the reforms preserve the core foundations of the transfer system, striking a better balance between player rights, contractual stability and the long-term interests of the game.

These reforms are also rooted in principles developed through the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Professional Football. In particular, the Joint Resolution adopted in November 2025 by FIFPRO Europe, UEFA, EFC and the European Leagues helped pave the way towards the global consensus now reflected in the new transfer system.

Protecting player welfare and shaping the future match calendar

Player welfare, workload and recovery have been among FIFPRO’s most pressing concerns for years.

Under the agreement with FIFA, players and their representatives will help define future standards on rest periods, off-season breaks, recovery windows and minimum time between matches. These standards will help shape future decisions affecting both men and women players’ workload, wellbeing and the international match calendars beyond 2030.

For the first time, those who bear the physical cost of the calendar will have a direct voice in defining the standards that govern it. Future discussions on the international match calendar will need to take those standards into account.

Giving players a stronger voice in FIFA’s decision-making

Alongside the transfer reforms, FIFPRO and FIFA have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding running until 2031.

The agreement strengthens the role of players across FIFA’s governance structures. FIFPRO will hold an observer seat with speaking rights on the FIFA Council, while FIFPRO-nominated experts will now serve on the FIFA judicial bodies and standing committees, and continue to play a central role on the FIFA Football Tribunal.

Players will therefore have a more permanent and visible presence wherever major decisions affecting the game are discussed. From governance and regulation to dispute resolution, the voice of players will be heard more consistently at the highest levels of world football.

Women players deserve more – and will get more

Women’s football is growing fast, and players must have a share in that success. FIFA and FIFPRO will develop global minimum standards for women’s national teams, and promote tailor-made solutions at continental level – building on the model already implemented in Europe – and expand mechanisms that allow players to benefit directly from the success of major international competitions, following the examples set at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025.

Supporting players and unions worldwide

The FIFA Fund for Players will be relaunched with a dedicated budget of USD 20 million until 2029, with FIFPRO on its steering committee. The Fund provides a crucial safety net when insolvent or bankrupt clubs fail to meet their financial obligations, particularly in regions where contractual breaches remain widespread. In its previous format, the Fund provided direct financial support to more than a thousand players around the world. 

Beyond the global level, FIFA and FIFPRO will work together to strengthen social dialogue domestically by supporting the development of collective bargaining agreements, standard player contracts, national dispute resolution chambers and modernised domestic transfer systems. The partnership will also help address some of the most pressing employment challenges facing players in different parts of the world. 

The objective is simple: stronger unions, stronger player protections and a stronger voice for players at every level of the game. What has been achieved globally can now support progress nationally.

Finally, FIFPRO reaffirms its longstanding support for national team football and the mandatory player release rule. Representing one’s country is one of football’s greatest honours. Players must always be free to answer that call, and national team football must continue to occupy a central place in the global game.

In their own words...

Sergio Marchi, President of FIFPRO Global, said: “The historic reforms adopted today strengthen players’ rights within the transfer system, improve working conditions and ensure that the people who make football possible have a greater say in shaping its future. I am grateful to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the FIFA Administration for their commitment to forward-looking dialogue. Today, we turn the page on years of confrontation and open a new chapter of cooperation, responsibility and shared ambition for the future of professional football.” 

Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, said: “This MoU marks a new era in FIFA’s relationship with FIFPRO.  Players shape the game we all love, and we must ensure their protection and well-being. That is why we have jointly created a sustainable pathway to ensure that decisions directly affecting them are based on a collective process anchored in social dialogue. This is what modern governance is about, and we are proud to be leading by example.”

David Terrier, President of FIFPRO Europe and FIFPRO’s lead negotiator, said: “Today marks a turning point for players and for global football governance. I would like to thank UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin for his consistent support throughout this process. UEFA genuinely helped foster the conditions for all parties to find common ground and move towards lasting solutions. I would also like to acknowledge the commitment shown by FIFA, EFC and the WLA. Reaching agreement on issues of such importance was never guaranteed. Our collective effort made this outcome possible.”

Mattias Grafström, FIFA General Secretary, said: “We are very proud to announce this MoU with FIFPRO on the eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026. We have set ourselves ambitious goals and are fully committed to implementing the agreement jointly with our partners at FIFPRO. This new partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when there is a shared commitment to finding mutually acceptable solutions. In particular, the creation of a Global Social Dialogue Platform is a notable achievement, and we look forward to launching it with FIFPRO and the other social dialogue partners at the earliest opportunity.” 

In light of the progress achieved, FIFPRO will withdraw its ongoing legal complaints against FIFA and calls on its member unions to distance themselves from the class action currently pursued by the Dutch foundation “Justice for Players”. 

To every player reading this

Whether you play in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania or the Americas, these reforms are for you. They reflect a simple belief: every player, at every level should be respected, protected and heard. Football may be global, but players’ rights should never depend on where they play. That is what FIFPRO and its member unions are stand for, every day.

If you have questions about your rights, your contract or what these changes mean for you, your national player union is there to help – find yours here. You can also reach FIFPRO directly here. 

Wherever football is played, players should never stand alone.