FIFPRO has called for far-reaching governance reforms at FIFA following the withdrawal of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, arguing that the decision to abandon the project does not address what it describes as a “profound abuse of presidential power” within world football’s governing body.
In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, the global players’ union said the collapse of the FFE proposal was inevitable but insisted that the episode had exposed deep structural flaws in FIFA’s governance. FIFPRO argued that the initiative, which it said could have permanently altered the ownership, governance and commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup, was developed in secrecy without the knowledge of the FIFA Council, Member Associations, players or other recognised stakeholders.
According to FIFPRO, the issue extends beyond the proposal itself and highlights a governance framework that permits major decisions affecting global football to be pursued behind closed doors before wider consultation takes place.
The union also criticised FIFA’s communication following its Council meeting in Rabat, Morocco, saying the governing body’s response failed to address the seriousness of the matter. FIFPRO said FIFA’s description of the controversy as a matter of improving “processes and communications” understated what it considers a constitutional and governance failure.
FIFPRO further challenged FIFA’s assertion that the proposal had been developed in full compliance with its existing regulations, arguing that such a claim demonstrated the need for comprehensive reforms rather than serving as a defence of the process. It also rejected suggestions that scrutiny of FIFA’s governance amounts to an attack on the organisation’s integrity, maintaining that accountability is essential to protecting the interests of football and its stakeholders.
The players’ union warned that confidence in FIFA’s leadership cannot be restored through internal reviews or carefully drafted statements alone, insisting that trust, authority and legitimacy must be earned through meaningful institutional reforms.
As part of its proposals, FIFPRO is calling for the Global Social Dialogue Platform to become a permanent and integral part of FIFA’s governance structure. The organisation also wants legally binding consultation with professional football stakeholders on major decisions, including changes to the international match calendar and competition expansion.
In addition, FIFPRO is seeking voting rights for professional football stakeholders on the FIFA Council, alongside formal recognition of the union’s role as the global representative of professional footballers. It also called for governance reforms designed to prevent any individual from making unilateral decisions capable of fundamentally reshaping the game.
FIFPRO confirmed that it has formally written to FIFA outlining its demands. The letter was jointly signed by FIFPRO President Sergio Marchi and the presidents of all six regional divisions—Africa, Asia/Oceania, Europe, South America, and Central & North America.
While acknowledging that the withdrawal of the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal prevented what it described as an irreversible decision, FIFPRO maintained that the episode had fundamentally damaged confidence in FIFA’s governance. The organisation concluded that meaningful structural reforms are now indispensable to ensure similar situations cannot arise in the future, adding that players remain committed to ensuring football emerges from the crisis with stronger institutions, stronger safeguards and leadership worthy of the trust the global game demands.
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