FIFPRO summit puts women players at centre of calendar and workplace talks

FIFPRO convened 17 professional women players in Oslo on May 22–23 to gather direct input on the next phase of its advocacy, with collective bargaining, employment standards and women-specific protections at the top of the agenda.The meeting was staged ahead of the UEFA Women’s Champions League final and was designed to align player perspectives across leagues and regions as investment rises and scrutiny grows around working conditions in the women’s game.Dr Alex Culvin, FIFPRO’s Director of Women’s Football, said: “Bringing players together from different leagues, nations and experiences is incredibly valuable. "The summit creates a space where players can learn from each other, reflect on the realities of the game in different parts of the world and help shape the priorities that will drive progress across women’s football.“From FIFPRO’s perspective, we’ve got two important moments coming up in women’s football in the next couple of years: the consultation of the women’s international match calendar and the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Player feedback is integral to the work we want to do around both of those milestones.”The first day centred on employment conditions and the uneven pace of professionalisation, using findings from FIFPRO’s Global Employment Report to frame where standards have improved and where gaps persist across domestic leagues and national team environments.Players then moved into workshops on how unions and players can use collective bargaining agreements to strengthen protections, clarify minimum standards and improve compliance through structured social dialogue.Day two focused on strategic planning around the 2027 Women’s World Cup and the broader international landscape, with discussions on competition structures, player welfare and how calendar design influences performance, recovery and commercial planning.Maternity regulations and women’s health were treated as core workplace issues rather than optional benefits, with sessions covering maternity rights, assisted reproduction and women-specific health protections in professional football.Roundtable topics also included post-career planning, reflecting the continued income volatility in parts of the women’s game and the need for structured transition support as players move out of competition.Lucy Bronze said: “I’ve enjoyed connecting with players from around the world. I usually play with people who come from similar environments to me, so hearing stories and perspectives from different countries and continents has been valuable. "It gives me a much better understanding – not just from what I see or hear about, but from listening to people’s lived experiences directly.”The summit’s commercial relevance sits in its link to two pressure points. Calendar reform affects media rights value, player availability and competition quality, while stronger labour standards reduce reputational risk for clubs, leagues and sponsors investing in the women’s game.FIFPRO closed the two-day programme with an open-floor session intended to translate player feedback into priorities for the next phase of union-led policy work, with outcomes expected to feed into upcoming calendar consultation and World Cup planning conversations.