International Federation of Professional Players Unions FIFPro was founded in Paris on December 15, 1965, at the initiative of the representatives of national federations protecting professional footballers’ rights in France, Scotland, England, Italy and the Netherlands. The initiators of establishing this organization were the Chairman of the French federation Michel Hidalgo, Belgian professor of law Roger Blanpain and Jacques Bertrand, who became the first president of the FIFPro.
The organization affiliates national unions defending the rights and interests of footballers (mainly professionals). Originally FIFPro had its registered office in Paris. Since February 1, 2005 FIFPro headquarters near Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, in Hoofddorp in the Netherlands. FIFPro affiliates 42 members from all continents and some candidate members, 25 members are European countries. FIFPro members represent over 23,000 of approximately 32,000 professional footballers in Europe. In European Union it’s 17,000 of 22,000. Among 15,000 footballers playing in the countries with largest football traditions (among other countries England, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Germany) there are 11,500 players, who are members of trade unions of footballers. This gives 77%.
FIFPro mission is to support players all over the world. In order to do that it undertakes many activities to increase the solidarity among the players, create various groups of pressure for supporting actions strengthening players’ position, protect professional players’ rights (among others social and fiscal), fight for dignified existence and the freedom of choice of the place of employment and provide high standard of insurance for the players.
For many years FIFPro has been trying to participate actively in the life of football family. It participated in the process of creating currently in force FIFA New Transfer System, i.e. by referring part of the NTS to one of European tribunals. Firm position of FIFPro caused launching of the works on the amended version of NTS. The current shape of the NTS fully respects the principle of transfer freedom and gives the representatives of trade unions the right to sit in bodies resolving the disputes with the participation of the players.
The breakthrough in the relations between FIFPro and FIFA was the Memorandum of Understanding, signed on November 2, 2006. In this agreement FIFA formally recognizes FIFPro as the only organization representing the trade unions of footballers and as a rightful participant of the activities for the benefit and development of football.
