Photo: Getty Images
In recent weeks, FIFA has found itself at the center of one of the most serious governance conflicts in recent years. The controversy stemmed from the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which called for bringing in private capital for commercial activities related to the organization’s major tournaments. Following a sharp backlash from soccer federations and other market participants, the project was scrapped, according to sportsbusinessreview.substack.com.
Against this backdrop, former players have called on world soccer’s leadership to take into account the interests of those directly involved in the game, rather than just the organization’s commercial and administrative interests.
Players Are Becoming an Influential Force
It is telling that back in June, FIFA and FIFPRO, the international organization of professional soccer players, signed a cooperation agreement that formally expanded the role of players in the governance of world soccer. The document provides for the participation of FIFPRO representatives in FIFA’s structures, including a seat on the FIFA Council, as well as the involvement of players in the work of legal committees.
The agreement is valid through December 2031. In exchange, FIFPRO and its member unions must cease ongoing legal proceedings against FIFA and refrain from supporting new lawsuits on related matters.
Thus, the attitude toward players is gradually changing: they are viewed not only as participants in competitions but also as one of the parties with the right to influence the rules and governance of the soccer industry.
But the latest initiatives by Infantino and FIFA as a whole have come as an unpleasant surprise to the players.
“We share the same concerns as millions of fans around the world. Like them, we have watched as the game we love drifts away from its core values under FIFA’s current leadership. For too long, we have seen important decisions made without consulting players or taking their opinions into account, and without any regard for the fans who support the sport.
Change is necessary. Power has clouded the current leadership’s ability to distinguish its own interests from those of soccer. Recent events have made silence impossible. We’ve had enough. We call on all stakeholders to step forward and help reshape the future of our sport. This call unites us all—from fans to the world’s best soccer players,” the statement reads.
Among the first to publish the statement were former “Manchester United” defender Mikaël Silvestre, World and European champion with the French national team Emmanuel Petit, and European champion with the English national team Lucy Bronze. According to journalist Ben Jacobs, other well-known former soccer players are expected to join them in the near future.
Follow our updates
