FIFA and the global players’ association FIFPRO have signed a Heads of Understanding in a meeting in Doha. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFPRO President David Aganzo signed the document outlining the proposed structure of an agreement which both organisations will aim to finalise in the coming months.

FIFPRO President David Aganzo said: “It is important football stakeholders have a healthy and transparent working relationship, and today’s meeting was held in this spirit. I am pleased we have started working towards a new cooperation agreement that will take more steps to put players at the heart of the decision-making and development of professional football. We will keep progressing to safeguard players’ rights and these negotiations will seek to establish greater influence, involvement, and protections. Next to finalizing this agreement, our joint priorities are now the international match calendars and player conditions for the upcoming Women’s World Cup.” The existing six-year cooperation agreement between both organisations was signed in 2017. Under the agreement, FIFPRO and FIFA have introduced several improvements to benefit professional footballers, including new maternity regulations, upgrades to employment regulations, and a fund to provide financial aid to players whose clubs have shut down.

Under an agreed timeframe, FIFA and FIFPRO will seek to conclude a new agreement in 2023, underlined by a commitment towards close and consistent collaboration around matters affecting players. FIFA Deputy General Secretary – Administration, Alasdair Bell and FIFA Deputy Secretary General – Football, Mattias Grafström also took part in the meeting alongside FIFPRO board members from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, along with FIFPRO General Secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann and other executives.