FIFPro Division Asia/Oceania is one of 4 continental divisions of FIFPro, together with Europe, Africa and the Americas.  FIFPro Asia now consists of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, and is focusing its development efforts in China and South Korea.  The Division has held a seat on the FIFPro Board since November 2009.

FIFPro Asia Board

FIFPro Asia is led by a Board consisting of representatives of its full members: Brendan Schwab (Chairman, Australia), Junichi Takano (Japan) and Andrew Scott-Howman (New Zealand).  India and Indonesia will join the Board in November 2009.

FIFPRO ASIA AGREEMENTS PROTECT PLAYERS IN THE REGION

The Division executed three key agreements during the 2008/2009 period:

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Oceania Football Confederation, the governing body for football in the region, which has 11 member countries under its umbrella, including New Zealand.  The MOU was signed in Auckland on 26 August 2008;
• MOU with the Indonesian League Board, the organiser and administrator of the Indonesian Professional League. The MOU was signed in Jakarta on 12 September 2008; and
• MOU with the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). The AFF comprises 11 member countries located in South East Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, all countries with professional leagues. The MOU was signed on 21 April 2009 during the 3rd FIFPro Asia Congress in Kuala Lumpur.

All three MOUs are for four years and the core principles of these agreements are:

• to reinforce cooperation and dialogue with these governing bodies on the major issues facing professional football;
• the need for a proper balance between the interests of players and clubs;
• the settlement of all disputes shall be within the established FIFA regulatory framework and on the basis of equal club/player representation;
• to support the implementation of minimum contract requirements in all professional playing contracts and the establishment of NDRCs;
• to foster the development of professional domestic leagues;
• to provide expertise on player-related matters, as well as combat doping and racism in the game;
• to promote cooperation between these organisations and FIFPro Asia; and
• to hold regular dialogue and meetings as a platform to exchange views and information.

With the execution of these agreements, 25 of the 56 countries in Asia and Oceania are now part of the Division’s development efforts in the region. Up until 2007, the Division comprised only three countries, namely, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. 

Click on the links below to find out more about FIFPro Asia:

The ongoing development of FIFPro Asia

FIFPRO Asia and the legal rights of players