The Portuguese Football Players’ Union (Sindicato dos Jogadores Profissionais de Futebol, SJPF) was formed in 1973 and is the Football Players’ Union in Portugal. SJPF defends, without distinction of status, the rights and interests of the professional football players and currently has over 5.000 members. The multiplicity of activities undertaken by the SJPF aim to achieve the protection and promotion of the collective interest of members, such as the contractual rights and guarantees, conditions of work, and the preservation of the dignity of all players in compliance with the fundamental Olympic principles, in particular, no discrimination of any sort.
The organization has gained institutional weight, assuming a major role as an interface with sports organizations at a national level (the State and other actors of Portuguese football) and internationally (European Union, FIFA, UEFA, and European Professional Football Leagues – EPFL). The SJPF is part of the social dialogue in the professional football platform promoted by UEFA, and the Portuguese member of the World Players’Union (FIFPro, http://www.fifpro.org) which has over 55,000 football players in 40 national players’ associations as members. SJPF also has a responsibility in supporting non-professional football players (amateur football, indoor football, and beach football male and female players) in their careers, education, and training.
In 2016, SJPF has created an Education and Training Department, which has the responsibility of developing dual-careers with football players and to facilitate professional integration in other work areas, besides sport, with retired footballers. In the education area, SJPF is also developing several projects regarding gender equality in football, mental health, and financial education of athletes.