Professional footballers in Panama have launched the country’s first cooperative exclusively for players, marking a landmark step in strengthening financial inclusion and collective support for athletes.
The cooperative, Cofutpro, was granted legal status in March and is backed by the Panamanian Autonomous Cooperative Institute (Ipacoop) and the Panamanian Professional Soccer Players Association (Afutpa).
The new cooperative aims to help professional footballers and others associated with the sport access financing, acquire property and improve their long-term financial security. Ipacoop described the initiative as a historic milestone that addresses a long-standing gap in financial services for athletes while promoting solidarity and collective development.
Panama has nearly 500 cooperatives serving around 213,000 members and is set to host the ICA and Cooperatives of the Americas Global Conference and General Assemblies 2026 in September under the theme “Building Bridges: Cooperative Contributions for a Peaceful World.”
