What happened: World governing body FIFA and the global players' union FIFPRO have agreed a landmark deal that gives players a formal seat at football's decision-making table. The agreement sets up ongoing, structured consultation between the two bodies on matters that affect the people who play the game.

Why it matters: The deal reshapes football governance by giving organized players direct input on issues like the match calendar, player welfare and competition scheduling. It formalizes a relationship that has frequently been adversarial, especially over fixture congestion and workload, and signals that player representation is now built into the sport's institutional structure.

What to watch: Watch how the consultation structure is implemented and which flashpoints — fixture load, player welfare, calendar reform — are taken up first.