Players’ union advocates for inclusion of non-professionals in tournament accommodations

KUALA LUMPUR – Fifpro, the global players' union, has urged the Asia's Football Confederation (AFC) to take into account the well-being of non-professional players when planning and hosting major tournaments, as mentioned in a report released on Aug 22.

Fifpro said research showed that the 2023 AFC Women’s Club Championship (AWCC) had disrupted the lives of more than 90 per cent of participating players.

“Players who are not full-time professionals have to balance football with other work, study or family responsibilities,” the union said in the report.

“Only 9 per cent of players said that the AWCC did not disrupt their domestic football or other life commitments.

“Competition organisers need to understand the profile of the athletes participating and implement conditions that alleviate their challenges and maximise the quality of the product.”

Eight clubs competed in the 2023 championship, playing in round-robin matches held over a week in November in Thailand and Uzbekistan, with the two group winners advancing to the final, which was held in May in Japan.

After the tournament, Fifpro spoke to 88 players from the participating clubs, with more than a third of the footballers surveyed saying they were not professional and 23 per cent reporting excessive strain from the tournament format.

Former Australia international Kathryn Gill said that it was important for women’s football in Asia to be developed in a way that took the players’ “lived realities” into account.

“This can only occur through establishing a genuine partnership between the AFC, leagues, clubs and players, and not through unilaterally overlaying regulations that are fit for men’s competitions on to female competitions,” she said in a Fifpro statement on the report.

The AFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Fifpro report also highlighted a lack of transparency in the AFC’s decision to initially cancel the final of the tournament, which it later reversed.

“Clubs and players incurred significant costs to participate in the groups and then were unexpectedly denied the opportunity to compete for prestige,” the report said of the abrupt call of not allowing the title-decider to be played.

“The AFC acted unilaterally and communicated without transparency. This culture must change if these continental competitions are to succeed for all stakeholders.”

Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds beat Incheon Red Angels of South Korea in the final held in May, two months later than originally planned.

The AFC Women’s Club Championship was designed as a pilot competition for the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League, which begins on Aug 25.