Brazilian players’ union FENAPAF has officially become a special observer of the global players’ union FIFPRO, the organisation confirmed on Wednesday. However, it has not yet achieved full membership status.
As first reported by Inside World Football, FENAPAF—the Brazilian national union representing 17 states and over 10,000 professional footballers—has partnered with FIFPRO, which has recently faced criticism from FIFA and the newly formed Association of International Footballers (AIF), launched by David Aganzo.
In a statement, FIFPRO President Sergio Marchi said: “This represents a move toward operating within a global framework built on legitimacy, representation, and shared principles. In a time when the landscape of player representation is shifting, maintaining unity and clarity about how players are represented internationally is essential to safeguarding their interests.”
The reintegration of Brazil strengthens FIFPRO’s standing in world football. It is also understood that FIFPRO is working to bring the German players’ union (VDV) back into the fold.
Jorge Borçat, President of FENAPAF, added: “Rejoining FIFPRO is a major milestone for Brazilian professional footballers. We believe in the power of a united, global voice for players, and FIFPRO fulfills that role by representing and defending their interests worldwide.”
Last month, Aganzo launched AIF after leaving FIFPRO under pressure from several national unions demanding his resignation. He subsequently severed ties between AFE, the Spanish players’ union, and FIFPRO. FIFA has since shown interest in supporting Aganzo, inviting him to a meeting in Rabat where the world football body sought to bring friendly unions to Zurich. Last week, Aganzo attended the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, where he attempted to introduce AIF to other stakeholders. He denied that FIFA would finance AIF, stating that the new union would instead rely on membership dues.
The launch of AIF comes amid ongoing tensions between FIFPRO and FIFA. In 2024, FIFPRO Europe filed a complaint with the European Commission against FIFA regarding the international match calendar. The complaint alleges that FIFA’s unilateral scheduling of the expanded 32-team Club World Cup constitutes an abuse of a dominant position and breaches EU competition law, severely threatening player health. It is understood that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly asked FIFPRO to withdraw the complaint.
