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New players' union planned amid FIFPRO, FIFA dispute

A new international players' union is set to be unveiled in Spain on Thursday amid a legal dispute between the existing global players' body FIFPRO and FIFA.

Four player unions, led by Spain's AFE and its president David Aganzo, will be the co-founders of the new global entity, a media notice stated.

Aganzo will set out the union's plans at a news conference in Madrid on Thursday morning, the notice said.

Relations between FIFPRO and FIFA have been strained to say the least since the European branch of the union launched legal action, alongside European Leagues, against FIFA in 2024 over what it sees as a failure to consult over the international calendar and FIFA's alleged abuse of a dominant position in the market.

Sources close to FIFPRO said the union was not invited to a meeting in Rabat last year, where FIFA claimed a consensus had been reached on a number of player welfare issues.

Aganzo was invited, along with the president of another founder member of the new union -- Rinaldo Martorelli from the Sao Paulo players' union in Brazil.

Aganzo, who was president of FIFPRO until 2024, cut AFE's ties with FIFPRO earlier this year in order to create a new international union.

FIFA did not comment on the creation of the new union on Wednesday, but it is understood to remain open to dialogue with all stakeholders -- including with FIFPRO.

FIFPRO declined to comment.