World Players Summit strengthens athlete voice across global sport

FIFPRO delegates from 15 countries joined athlete representatives from football and other sports at the World Players Summit in Washington DC, as unions seek greater influence over governance, working conditions and commercial decision-making.The four-day event was hosted by World Players in partnership with the NFL Players Association, Major League Soccer Players Association and AFL-CIO.It also marked the formal launch of World Players’ new independent structure, aimed at creating a stronger cross-sport platform for athlete representation and collective action.Dr Alex Culvin, FIFPRO director of women’s football, commented: “While of course the Olympics is an exciting competition, participation is not guaranteed. There are elements that concern both FIFPRO and the WPA around occupational health and safety and regulatory issues.“This ranges from the smaller squad sizes at the Games compared to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, shortened rest periods between fixtures and insufficient travel conditions. Ultimately, the big challenge is shifting player perception from gratitude to value: educated players make educated decisions, so providing players with the tools to do that is extremely important.”Player welfare, women’s football, collective bargaining, health and safety, career development and governance reform were among the principal issues discussed across panels and workshops.Culvin also highlighted improvements secured around travel, accommodation and delegation sizes at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, while warning that gains in the women’s game require continued protection.The discussions arrived days after FIFA and FIFPRO signed a Memorandum of Understanding that gives player representatives a formal role in decisions on transfer regulations, workload and welfare standards.FIFPRO Africa general secretary Kgosana Masaseng outlined the growth of player representation across the continent, where the division has expanded from three member countries in 2007 to 26.Masaseng pointed to collective bargaining agreements in Botswana and South Africa, alongside social dialogue initiatives in Ghana that have secured player involvement in decision-making.He argued that football governance must move away from treating players simply as participants and recognise their status as workers with employment rights.FIFPRO Asia/Oceania secretary general Shoko Tsuji raised concerns about the absence of participation agreements between the Asian Football Confederation and players.She also highlighted uncertainty around the direct distribution of prize money, with payments made to national federations without guarantees that players receive an agreed share.Online abuse was addressed as an occupational safety issue, with participants warning that AI-generated material and the growth of betting culture are increasing threats faced by athletes.Professor Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO medical director, called for more education around load management and argued that welfare policies should prioritise long-term career health rather than short-term availability.FIFPRO’s delegation included representatives from Botswana, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Guatemala, Italy, Korea, New Zealand, Panama, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, the US and Uzbekistan.