FIFPRO, WLA reaffirm commitment to industry sustainability and to develop social dialogue in Africa

In the context of the Annual Meeting 2024 of the World Leagues Association (WLA) held in Cairo, for the first time, a regional social dialogue meeting was held between representatives of African professional leagues (including the Egyptian Pro League, the South African Premier Soccer League, the Uganda Premier League, the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League and the Nigerian Premier Football League) and the President and General Secretary of FIFPRO Africa to discuss the challenges of African football.

The meeting followed the address of FIFPRO Board Member and President of FIFPRO Africa, Geremi Njitap, to all professional leagues where he emphasised the critical role of national football. “Wherever players earn their livelihood – in teams big and small – they understand the value of national leagues. They recognise how these leagues contribute to their jobs and the sector as a whole,” said Njitap.

The constructive regional discussion, where professional leagues and FIFPRO had an opportunity to express their views with respect to labour matters in Africa, was held under the framework of the Global Labour Agreement (GLA) – the world agreement between FIFPRO and the WLA promoting social dialogue in football – and in the presence of the International Labour Organization’s representative for Egypt and Northern Africa.

This groundbreaking session led to the agreement to develop concrete steps to enhance social dialogue in Africa, an initiative that will directly contribute to the next ILO Global Expert Meeting in 2026. The participants agreed to meet again in the beginning of 2025 in the context of a specific working plan.

Speaking on this development, FIFPRO Africa General Secretary Kgosana Masaseng commented: “This initiative will provide critical support to the African sports industry, which is at a turning point and facing challenges that can only be resolved through effective social dialogue.”

Jerome Perlemuter, General Secretary of the World Leagues Assocation, said: “We had a very constructive meeting between our African member leagues and FIFPRO Africa. As the World Leagues Association, our goal is to strengthen professional structures on the continent. This means having more national professional leagues in Africa but also building a long-term and sustainable social dialogue with the players.”