A new global union for footballers, the International Association of Footballers (AIF), was launched in Madrid on Thursday, pledging to give players a voice amid an escalating dispute between Fifa and the established players' body Fifpro.
The AIF is spearheaded by David Aganzo, former president of Fifpro and current head of the Spanish player union AFE. Aganzo severed AFE's ties with Fifpro in February, announcing plans to create a new representative body, which has now materialised with four founding unions.
The relationship between Fifpro and Fifa has been strained since the union filed a legal complaint against the world governing body in 2024, alleging that Fifa failed to consult adequately on the international fixture schedule, abusing a dominant position under competition law. Aganzo, however, was invited to a Fifa meeting in Morocco last December, where a 'consensus' was claimed on player welfare issues. Fifpro was not invited and has not endorsed the measures announced by Fifa.
Speaking at the launch, Aganzo said: 'We have the strength to fight and give a voice to footballers. Founding this union was our duty because we are people with values. The word independence is fundamental for AIF, just as loyalty is key when negotiating. Footballers must make their own decisions, not accept unilateral ones.'
Fifpro, which represents 70 national unions, accused Aganzo of establishing the rival body for 'personal motives', stating that his concept 'appears nothing more than a speculative attempt to boost his own standing through a group which lacks the fundamental legitimacy to represent professional footballers globally'. Fifpro also claimed that since AFE's departure, Aganzo had engaged with groups failing to meet basic standards of player representation.
Fifa, in a statement, said it remained committed to 'open and constructive engagement with football stakeholders that uphold core principles, including representativeness'.
