Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has been appointed to the prestigious FIFPRO Global Player Council, joining a host of players in the 2025-2027 cohort.
Wanyama joined the Council as part of eight footballers representing FIFPRO Africa, among them Antoine Semenyo (Ghana) and Marshall Munetsi (Zimbabwe), who ply their trade in the English Premier League for FC Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively.
Under FIFPRO, which is the body made up of global player associations, the council provides a platform for active players to influence matters affecting their careers and to guide the work of player unions both locally and internationally.
It ensures that the voices of men’s and women’s footballers from different leagues and regions are represented when key decisions are made at the highest level.
Other players who made up FIFPRO Africa include Roberto Lopes (Cape Verde), Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria), Terrence Mashego (South Africa), and Jermaine Seoposenwe (South Africa).
In the new role, Wanyama will ensure that he is closely engaged with the domestic player union, ensuring its representation at the global level is grounded in the support and guidance of the national associations.
Also, the council will support FIFPRO and its national associations on player-centric matters such as the international match calendar, employment standards, player data, cyberbullying, and more.
Another function of the council is to voice issues facing footballers on a global scale and strengthen the capacity to address cross-border issues, such as fixture schedules and recommended rest periods.
Overall, Wanyama is set to join 36 other male and female footballers from across the world to ensure player voices are central to decisions shaping the future of the game.
Other players on the council include World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, Women’s World Cup winner and Olympic champion Crystal Dunn, five-time Women’s Champions League winner Lucy Bronze, and players who have captained their national team, such as Chris Wood, Jackson Irvine, Caroline Weir, Elena Linari, and Wataru Endo.
The council was first launched in 2019, but the latest initiative was part of a massive revamp of the council.
Wanyama is currently unattached at the club level but has cemented his legacy in Kenyan football after making his Kenyan national team debut in May 2007 at just 15 years old, facing Nigeria in a friendly match.
In 2013, he was appointed captain of the Harambee Stars, succeeding Dennis Oliech. Wanyama was Kenya’s captain during the 2019 edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, guiding the team in the nation's first appearance at the tournament in 15 years.
In September 2021, Wanyama announced his retirement from international football, ending his time with the national team with over 60 caps and seven goals to focus on his club career.
