On 10 June 2026, on the eve of the FIFA World Cup, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement runs until 31 December 2031.
This is not a routine renewal of working arrangements. For the first time in football history, players — through FIFPRO — are formally recognised as social partners on equal footing with clubs and leagues.
A Global Social Dialogue Platform
The cornerstone of the MoU is the establishment of a Global Social Dialogue Platform, chaired by FIFA. It will bring together representatives of players (FIFPRO), clubs (European Football Clubs, EFC) and leagues (World Leagues Association, WLA).
The platform will operate across three workstreams: the transfer system and regulatory matters; domestic transfer systems and support for social dialogue at national level; and player welfare and occupational health and safety.
Any future changes to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) will require collective agreement among all social partners, including FIFPRO.
Concrete Changes for Players
A share of transfer fees. Players earning up to €150,000 per year will receive a mandatory 5% share of any international transfer fee — for the first time in football history.
Stronger club accountability. Compensation for contract breach will be calculated on the full residual value of the contract, plus damages and up to six monthly salaries as an additional penalty. Sporting sanctions against clubs can be applied from the very first breach. Interest on unpaid wages has risen from the previous informal 5% practice to a codified 8%.
Player protection fund. The FIFA Fund for Professional Players has been renewed for the 2026–2029 cycle with a total allocation of USD 20 million. The fund supports players who cannot recover outstanding salaries from clubs that have gone into insolvency. Cases from the 2023–2026 period are also covered.
A voice in governance. FIFPRO representatives will sit on the FIFA Football Tribunal, several standing committees and the Human Rights and Sustainability Sub-Committee. On player-related matters, FIFPRO will attend FIFA Council meetings as an observer with speaking rights — a first in the organisation's history.
What This Means for APFKR and Kyrgyz Footballers
The Association of Professional Footballers of the Kyrgyz Republic (APFKR — Union KG) is a member of FIFPRO, and this agreement directly affects professional footballers in Kyrgyzstan.
The formal recognition of FIFPRO as a legitimate social partner strengthens APFKR's standing domestically. The new transfer and compensation rules will be incorporated into the updated FIFA RSTP, which is binding on all FIFA member associations, including the Kyrgyz Football Union (KFU). Higher interest rates on wage arrears and tougher sanctions on clubs are direct tools of protection for any player who has faced — or may face — non-payment.
APFKR: "This agreement is the result of years of work by the entire player union movement in football. For Kyrgyz players, it has concrete meaning: their rights are now recognised at FIFA level. APFKR's task is to ensure these changes work in practice in Kyrgyzstan, and that international player protection standards become the norm in our football."
Now the Focus Shifts to Implementation
The MoU establishes a legal and institutional framework. Real change for players will come only when the Global Social Dialogue Platform is fully operational and the agreed standards are consistently implemented at national level.
FIFPRO has been clear: the focus now shifts to implementation. For APFKR, this means continuing work on establishing a National Dispute Resolution Chamber (NDRC) within the KFU, developing the national system for player rights protection, and building institutional dialogue — in line with the standards now enshrined at FIFA level.