MADRID (AP) – A new international body representing soccer players was launched Thursday as a rival to the long-established international federation FIFPRO, which is in a dispute with FIFA.
The Association of International Football Players (AIF) was founded in Madrid by David Aganço, the president of the new association, representing approximately 30,000 players. Aganço is also the leader of the Spanish Football Association (AFE) and was removed as FIFPRO president in 2024.
Aganzo and other officials twice last year met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino was widely seen as a challenge from the world soccer body to Netherlands-based FIFPRO’s mission to represent players from around the world.
FIFA is targeted A formal complaint was filed 18 months ago It was submitted to the European Commission in Brussels by the European Division of FIFPRO and the European League Group. The application calls into question FIFA’s governance and the quality of stakeholder consultation.
FIFA said on Thursday it acknowledged the creation of the AIF and “remains committed to open and constructive engagement with football stakeholders that upholds its core principles, including representativeness.”
FIFPRO criticized the new organization.
“FIFPRO recognizes the hard work of Spanish men’s football players over the decades of AFE,” it said in a statement. “However, the initiative announced by the current president in Madrid appears to be nothing more than a speculative attempt to enhance his status through a body that lacks fundamental legitimacy to represent the world’s professional football players.”
FIFPRO said the new concept was “driven by personal motivations rather than directives from athletes around the world.”
Aganzo said a new model for the players’ union was needed, partly because the players’ voices were not being heard through FIFPRO. The new organization said female athletes also needed stronger representation.
“Football players need a stronger voice,” Aganzo said. “They don’t have the capacity to make decisions. AIF was set up to fight for them.”
FIFPRO said Aganzo “has been involved with bodies that do not meet the basic standards of player representation” and that bodies “must be responsible and sustainable, built starting from the players, through collective structures that guarantee independence, legitimacy and accountability.”
“Such an approach to player representatives is not in the best interests of professional football players.”
FIFPRO claims that its role is based on a mandate from 70 national player associations representing more than 60,000 football players and is officially recognized by the European Union and international football governing bodies and stakeholders.
AIF is run by members of trade unions from Spain, Brazil, Mexico and Switzerland.
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