FIFPro Slams FIFA President Infantino Over Club World Cup Controversies
FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino, are facing heavy backlash from FIFPro, the global players’ union, following the conclusion of the controversial 32-team Club World Cup. Chelsea’s stunning 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final has been overshadowed by serious concerns regarding player welfare and tournament conditions.
FIFPro’s president, Sergio Marchi, accused FIFA of operating “without dialogue, without sensitivity and without respect” for the players. He criticized the tournament for being staged in extreme heat, with inadequate rest periods for players as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Marchi likened FIFA’s approach to the “bread and circuses” tactics of ancient Rome, suggesting that the organization prioritizes profit over player health. “What was presented as a global football party was nothing more than a fiction staged by FIFA,” he stated. “Most footballers do not receive their salary in full and play without minimum guarantees of stability or medical coverage.”
The tournament’s scheduling has sparked broader legal disputes between FIFA, leagues, and unions. FIFPro has warned against the dangers of a saturated match calendar, emphasizing the need for adequate physical and mental rest for players. Marchi expressed concern that next summer’s World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, must not replicate the conditions seen in the Club World Cup.
Further complicating matters, FIFPro representatives were not invited to a FIFA meeting held on Saturday that addressed player welfare and agreed on a minimum three-week off-season break. This exclusion has led to perceptions that FIFA is not genuinely committed to addressing player concerns.
FIFPro has vowed to continue fighting for players’ rights, demanding that FIFA adopt inclusive policies that prioritize player integrity. Marchi concluded, “You can’t continue to play with the health of the players to feed a marketing machine. There is no possible spectacle if the voice of the protagonists is extinguished.”
