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People of the Union puts the spotlight on individuals across FIFPRO’s member associations who are dedicated to improving the wellbeing of professional footballers.

Beau Busch is the Chief Executive of Professional Footballers Australia and the President of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania. The former defender, who played in Australia and Scotland, talks about his role as a union leader and the importance of players being part of the decision-making process.  

FIFPRO: Tell us about yourself: what’s your current role and what’s your background?  

Beau Busch: I’m currently the Chief Executive of Professional Footballers Australia, the PFA, and the President of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania. I joined the PFA in 2013, where I started off in the media department before moving into organising and player development. Prior to joining the PFA, I was a professional footballer in the A-League, here in Australia, and in the lower leagues in Scotland.

What issue affecting player welfare are you most passionate about? 

As a result of the courage of individual players such as Lassana Diarra and the commitment to collectivism and solidarity of players across the world, there is a generational opportunity to change the system in which players operate. Far too often the objectives which the football industry claims to be pursuing are defeated by the regulations imposed on players. I’m passionate about advocating for – and hopefully playing a small part in delivering – a new system for football which embraces players’ rights to collectively bargain, and establishes the players domestically and internationally as genuine partners in the industry.

Beau Busch WFS
Beau Busch

Can you share one of your proudest moments or achievements working as a union representative? 

During every club visit and meeting with our members, their knowledge, commitment to the growth of the game and their care for the industry reinforces the privilege I have to represent them. I am incredibly proud to have played a part in collective bargaining agreements with the leagues and national teams, the pursuit of gender equality, the establishment of player development in Australian football and supporting them to have an impact off the pitch. These achievements belong to the players and are the result of collective effort and that is what I am most proud of.

If you could change something in football, what would it be? 

That players are genuinely respected and embraced as partners in the industry. Football is largely failing to realise its full potential by continuing its business-as-usual approach where those in power seek to marginalise the players and their unions. 

Is there anyone in the union world or in sports in general who inspires you? 

I have had the good fortune of working with outstanding leaders such as Brendan Schwab, John Didulica, Craig Foster, Kate Gill, Kat Craig and Francis Awaritefe from whom I have learned so much. I also have an outstanding team at the PFA, the board of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania and the unions across the division who I am hugely inspired by and learn a great deal from.

What is your favourite football memory to date?  

I actually have two – Australia’s 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup campaign and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaigns. In the case of the Socceroos, they got the absolute most out of themselves on and off the pitch. They pushed the eventual world champions, Argentina, to their limit in the Round of 16 and took a stand off the pitch for human rights, where they showed enormous courage. For the Matildas, this generation of players has changed the very fabric of Australian football and their performances at the World Cup were just reward for their bravery in pursuing a vision for football that places men’s and women’s players on an equal footing. The country changed because of their commitment to each other and the game.

Australia WWC Players
Australia players at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

Who is your favourite footballer ever and why? 

Former Australian national team captains Lucas Neill and Cheryl Salisbury. Both are outstanding leaders for the game and the players, and they both played key roles on the pitch and through the PFA. What they share, like all great players, is the ability to inspire others and ensure that a team becomes more than the sum of its parts. Both Lucas and Cheryl had a profound impact on Australian football, and I have no doubt will continue to build on this.  

FIFPRO is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. What does being part of a global union mean to you? 

FIFPRO represents the global commitment we make to collectivism and solidarity in pursuit of respect for the players. We have a dual responsibility to ensure we are impactful domestically, through our Australian union, and ensure we contribute to the broader FIFPRO movement. FIFPRO has a critical role to ensure we make progress on issues that we cannot reach domestically but have an enormous impact on all players. But we equally need to ensure we are strong domestically and maximise our impact, which in turn increases the strength of FIFPRO. Bosman, Diarra and the rise of women’s football show what we can achieve at our very best.

Could you give one example of the value that FIFPRO has for your organisation?  

In recent years we have focused extensively on player safety. Through the work of FIFPRO, its relationship with the World Players Association, and experts such as human rights lawyer Kat Craig, we have been able to work swiftly by building on their knowledge. This has meant we have been able to build policy and strategy and make progress far more quickly than we would have otherwise.

And looking forward, what do you hope to see unions unite more on to shape the future of football for the players? 

Players can only have great careers in a great industry. Football is falling short of what it can be because it currently fails to embrace the players as partners and as such does not benefit from their collective experiences and insights. Our role is to build our collective capacity to change the current reality and create the best possible industry for players, leagues, clubs and federations.