Socceroos Collective Bargaining Agreement 2006 – 2010

FFA and the PFA are now in the 3rd year of the Socceroos Collective Bargaining Agreement 2006 – 2010, which was signed in July 2007 to take effect from 1 July 2006.  The CBA sets out the terms on which FFA and the PFA agree that:

• players may be selected and employed to represent the Socceroos; and
  
  
• players will assist FFA in the generation of revenue to maximise investment in the Socceroos and Australian football.

In 2009, FFA and the PFA successfully completed review negotiations mandated by the CBA for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Click here for a summary of the revised CBA signed by FFA's Ben Buckley and the PFA's Brendan Schwab on 20 January 2010.

The business of football has grown considerably over the life of the CBA, due in no small part to the outstanding achievements of the players on and off the field in taking the Socceroos to successive FIFA World Cup Finals for the first time in history.

In agreeing to the terms of a CBA for the Socceroos, the PFA and the players aim to achieve 5 objectives:

1. to ensure players are fairly rewarded financially for playing for their country and playing football at the highest level;
   
   
2. to provide an outstanding high performance environment for the Socceroos which respects and balances the onerous commitments players have with their clubs;
   
   
3. to protect the off-field income earning capacity of the players;
   
   
4. to help continue to build FFA into a financially viable and effective governing body of football in Australia; and
5. to ensure that the individual commercial rights of the Players are protected to assist them with their off-field marketing opportunities.

The CBA deals with a number of very important issues, including:

• payments to players and the PFA;
  
  
• media, commercial activities and the use of player images;
  
  
• scheduling and selection;
  
  
• game development and charitable activities;
  
  
• player benefits such as accommodation, meals and travel; and
  
  
• disciplinary and grievance procedures.

FFA and the PFA had previously entered into a collective bargaining agreement which covered the Socceroos from 1 July 2004 to the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany. The PFA has been the exclusive collective bargaining agent of the Socceroos since striking the first major collective deal for the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Australia progressed to the final.

The CBA covers the period beginning 1 July 2006 and ends on 30 September 2010 with the scope for it to continue until replaced by another agreement between FFA and the PFA.