In a significant nod to his influence and legacy, former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has been appointed to the FIFPRO Global Player Council, joining an elite group of footballers tasked with shaping the future of the sport.
The announcement sees Wanyama become one of eight players representing FIFPRO Africa in the latest cohort, which also includes Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth) and Zimbabwe’s Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims). The council, an arm of FIFPRO—the worldwide representative organization for professional footballers—serves as a crucial platform for active players to influence policies affecting their careers and guide the work of player unions globally.
One of the council’s core mandates is to address challenges faced by footballers on an international scale, including pressing issues such as congested fixture schedules, recommended rest periods, employment standards, and the growing concern of online abuse.
Wanyama, though currently without a club, remains a towering figure in Kenyan football. His international career began remarkably at just 15 years old in a friendly against Nigeria in May 2007. He later succeeded Dennis Oliech as Harambee Stars captain in 2013 and memorably led Kenya to its first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) appearance in 15 years during the 2019 tournament in Egypt.
After earning over 60 caps and scoring seven goals for the national team, Wanyama announced his retirement from international football in September 2021 to focus on his club career.
In his new role, Wanyama will work closely with the domestic player union in Kenya, ensuring that the voices of local footballers are heard and accurately represented at the highest levels of the sport’s governance.
He joins a distinguished 37-member council that includes global stars such as 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 fellow national team captains like Chris Wood, Jackson Irvine, and Wataru Endo.
First launched in 2019, the FIFPRO Global Player Council has recently undergone a major restructuring aimed at strengthening its capacity to tackle cross-border issues and ensure that player welfare remains central to the game’s evolving landscape.
For Wanyama, the appointment is not just a personal honor but a chance to champion the rights and interests of footballers across Africa and beyond—continuing his leadership long after the final whistle has blown on his international career.
