Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has been named to the FIFPRO Global Player Council (GPC) for the 2025–27 term, joining a distinguished group of international footballers tasked with shaping policies that affect players’ careers across the globe.
The council offers a platform for active players to voice their concerns on key issues such as employment standards, the international match calendar, player welfare, and online abuse.
It also reinforces the influence of national and regional player unions, ensuring that both men’s and women’s football are represented in major decisions.
Wanyama is among eight African players on the council, alongside Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi, Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade, Zambia’s Racheal Kundananji, Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo, Cape Verde’s Roberto Lopes, and South Africans Terrence Mashego and Jermaine Seoposenwe.
At 34, Wanyama views this appointment as an important step in his transition beyond active play. In August, he began a coaching course aimed at preparing him for life after football.
“It went well. It was two weeks of intense learning, and I’m still doing the courses. I just want to tick the boxes now so that when I finish my career, I can have choices, whether coaching or in football administration,” Wanyama said in an interview.
“Anything that can help me be a better coach or director, I will do it. Maybe one day you’ll see me on the touchline," he added.
Beyond his personal ambitions, Wanyama has invested in nurturing young talent in Kenya through his foundation and academy. While developing training pitches has faced delays due to soil challenges, work continues, and plans are underway to open a branch in Nairobi to extend the academy’s reach.
“We believe in good surfaces because they make players feel good and showcase their talent,” he said.
The FIFPRO Global Player Council, relaunched in 2019, now brings together 37 players from around the world.
Its members include World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, US Women’s World Cup and Olympic champion Crystal Dunn, five-time Women’s Champions League winner Lucy Bronze, and national team captains like Chris Wood, Jackson Irvine, Caroline Weir, Elena Linari, and Wataru Endo.
“All of these players have demonstrated leadership on and off the pitch, and we’re proud to have them as members of FIFPRO’s Global Player Council. Footballers hold the power to shape their industry for the better. We thank these players for devoting their time and effort to advocating and defending the rights of their colleagues with such passion and courage,” FIFPRO Secretary-General Alex Phillips said.
Council members collaborate closely with their national player unions to ensure local representation informs global decisions.
“Being part of FIFPRO’s Global Player Council gives me the opportunity to use my platform to shape the game for the better and ensure that the player voice is heard in football’s key decision-making,” said Jackson Irvine of Australia.
England and Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze added, “I’m in a position where I can help other people; sharing experiences with different people from all over the world is so valuable in promoting and improving our game. Being part of the Global Player Council has given me a lot in my career and helped me as well, so it was a no-brainer to be a part of it [again].”
Wanyama, who debuted for the national team in 2007 at just 15, captained the Harambee Stars from 2013 and led them at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the team’s first AFCON appearance in 15 years.
He retired from international football in 2021 after earning more than 60 caps and scoring seven goals, leaving a lasting legacy in Kenyan football.