SAFPU nearing pension fund agreement for Premier Soccer League players

The South African Football Players’ Union (SAFPU) is close to completing an agreement to create a pension fund for Premier Soccer League players, welfare coordinator Brent Carelse has told SABC Sport.

Carelse, who previously played for Mamelodi Sundowns and represented Bafana Bafana, has been closely involved in SAFPU’s work to improve players’ welfare and help them prepare for life after football.

Speaking to the public broadcaster, he said the proposed scheme would address a long-standing concern among professional footballers in South Africa and could have a significant impact on the game.

“I think this is something that is long overdue because when I was a player this was something we were yearning for. We are very close to setting up a pension fund for professional footballers in the country and this is going to change South African football for the better.”

The union has been discussing pension arrangements during visits to clubs, where players have raised the issue alongside other concerns affecting their welfare. Carelse encouraged footballers to regard the scheme as a long-term investment rather than something relevant only at the end of their careers.

For players, the proposed fund would form part of broader support designed to help them manage the transition away from professional football. Carelse said the need for that planning had become increasingly clear through SAFPU’s engagement with clubs and their squads.

He also confirmed that SAFPU is working with experts to support Premier Soccer League players with their mental health.

Carelse said attitudes towards mental health in sport had changed, although footballers continued to face considerable pressure both on and off the pitch.

“You are always told ‘You are a man, pull up your socks and wipe your tears away’. Things are a bit different now because people are more willing to open up, but it’s difficult for footballers considering all the pressure to perform at a certain level week in and week out, whilst worrying about things like looking after your family and even ‘black tax’.”

The initiative comes as SAFPU continues to focus on issues extending beyond players’ immediate sporting responsibilities. Carelse’s role as welfare coordinator includes helping address the practical and personal challenges that can affect footballers during their careers, as well as preparing them for what follows.

SAFPU has not yet finalised the pension fund agreement, but Carelse said discussions were at an advanced stage. Once established, the scheme would provide professional footballers in the country with a formal pension arrangementsomething he said players had long been hoping to have.