Players’ Unions

⚽️ Players’ Unions 🤜🏽🤛🏽

A Union is a group of workers who come together (to form an organisation) and use “strength in numbers” to negotiate better conditions and benefits in the workplace.

Yesterday morning the Professional Footballers’​ Association (PFA), which is the Players’ Union for all current and former footballers and scholars in the Premier League, the FA Women’s Super League and the English Football Leagues, announced that it was (jointly) taking on FIFA in relation to the Club World Cup. The PFA is concerned about player “burnout” and is fighting for players to have protected breaks every season. The PFA stated that the decision to commence the Club World Cup next year, and every four years after that, was made without the Players’ Unions being involved in any of the negotiations.

The PFA pointed out that the 2024/2025 season will more or less blend into the 2025/2026 season for some of the most sought after players. Not long after the EPL season finishes on 25 May, it will be the Champions League final. This is followed by an international window where most of the same players will be going to represent their countries. After that, the Club World Cup starts on 14 June and ends on 13 July. The EPL season follows on in August… Madness ! 😅

From the above reaction we can get a feel for what a Players’ Union stands for and how they protect players’ rights. In fact, the PFA website states that they “protect players’ rights, represent their views and provide support through a wide variety of educational, financial and wellbeing services.….”. 💪🏽

Two other Players’ Unions I admire are:

1. The Major League Soccer Players’ Association (MLSPA). I felt the power of the MLSPA whilst representing a Nigerian player who played in the MLS for three seasons. The MLSPA website states that they, “empower the players by establishing a supportive community and unified voice that positively impacts the lives of our past, current and future members”. 👏🏼

2. The Professional Footballers Association Ghana aka PFAG, which was set up in 2013 with ex Ghana international footballer, Anthony Baffoe ❤️ at the forefront of it. I have a soft spot for the PFAG because I remember having many discussions with Anthony when it was being set up about the plans for tbe PFAG.

10 reasons to join the PFAG 👇🏾
https://lnkd.in/eTArR4af

Another powerful and well respected Union is the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels, more commonly known as, FIFPRO. Its global headquarters is in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, and it is made up of 66 national players’ associations which can be found by clicking on the link below.

https://lnkd.in/eic7xcbS

My first question was, “Doesn’t Nigeria have a Players’ Union”? Who protects the current and ex players rights? 🙆🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️.

If anyone is aware of a recognised Players’ Union in Nigeria, please let me know 🙏🏾


To enjoy the full benefit of this post and some interesting comments, you can also view it on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/eby-emenike-0726195_tbdfootballeducation-playersunions-tbdaiimages-activity-7207207528386940928-tizD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

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