UEFA has announced that it will include the professional football players’ union, FIFPRO Europe, in its executive committee, aiming to enhance player involvement in critical discussions, particularly concerning the congested match schedule.
The partnership was formalized on Tuesday with the intention of amplifying the players’ influence in governance matters across European football.

This development arises during a season where prominent players, including Ballon d’Or recipient Rodri, have expressed concerns over the possibility of strike actions due to the demanding nature of the current competition calendar.
Recently, the FIFPRO Europe union played a pivotal role in filing a formal complaint with the European Commission in Brussels directed at FIFA, although it excluded UEFA from its targets.
The complaint alleges that FIFA is violating EU competition regulations by enlarging the men’s World Cup and Club World Cup without sufficient consultations with relevant stakeholders.

In a statement from Paris, where the agreement was formally signed, the union noted that UEFA has committed to involving FIFPRO Europe in discussions impacting players’ employment conditions and any reforms affecting their workloads.
UEFA has already expanded the number of matches in its premier club tournaments, the Champions League and Europa League, following pressures from elite clubs who previously attempted to create a separate Super League.
Ultimately, that initiative collapsed due to significant pushback from fans.

Now, several clubs will be required to engage in 10 matches instead of the previous six to advance to the round of 16 in both the Champions League and Europa League.
In addition, UEFA has pledged to include “active players and player representatives” in a new Professional Players’ Advisory Forum, which is set to meet for the inaugural time in December.

The representative from the union will assume their role in the UEFA executive committee in May, according to FIFPRO Europe.
Currently, UEFA’s executive body allocates two seats to clubs and one to the European Leagues.
In light of recent legal challenges to their authority, primarily from the European Court of Justice, both UEFA and FIFA have been moving toward a more inclusive approach, inviting stakeholders to participate in the decision-making processes surrounding football governance.