A critical dispute over player representation in Spanish women's football has reached a stalemate. The Asociación de Futbolistas Españoles (AFE) met with the unions FUTPRO, Futbolistas ON, and Comisiones Obreras at the Servicio Interconfederal de Mediación y Arbitraje (SIMA) on May 8, 2026, but the conciliation act concluded without an agreement.
The core conflict stems from the refusal of the three unions to allow players from the Liga F, Spain's top women's division, to vote on which organization should represent them at the bargaining table for a new Collective Agreement. AFE, having previously denounced the existing agreement, initiated a process to let the athletes decide their representation through a democratic vote.
During the SIMA meeting, FUTPRO, Futbolistas ON, and Comisiones Obreras rejected holding the elections before the current 2025-2026 season concludes. In contrast, AFE has proposed that the vote take place in the second half of May 2026, meaning the process would need to be launched immediately. The protocol for such a vote has been reviewed by the Audiencia Nacional and is governed by the Ley del Deporte.
AFE reports that it has been in contact with players from all 16 Liga F clubs in recent weeks and has found a near-unanimous desire among them to hold the elections before the end of May 2026. The association argues that this delay is preventing the immediate formation of the "banco social" (the official player representative body) needed to begin work on crucial improvements to the Collective Agreement.
A significant practical reason underscores the urgency. The Real Decreto 369/2026, which regulates the distribution of funds from La Quiniela (Spain's football pools), allocates a percentage to the Collective Agreement. This decree enters into force on July 1, 2026. Without elections and a formed banco social by then, the new agreement cannot be activated to incorporate these funds.
AFE contends that the stance of the three unions is causing unnecessary delays and squandering an opportunity to immediately integrate this fundamental financial aspect into the negotiation. The association draws a parallel to the men's game, where players in Primera and Segunda División (LALIGA) recently exercised their right to vote for their union representation.
The situation raises a pointed question: why are Liga F players being denied a vote when five years have passed since the last such elections? The landscape of the league has changed significantly during that period, with player retirements, new arrivals, and shifts in the competing teams. Based on reporting from Fútbol // marca.
