The 43rd Ordinary UEFA Congress, held yesterday in Rome, Italy, has unanimously re-elected Aleksander Čeferin as UEFA President for the period 2019-23 by acclamation.

In his acceptance speech UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said:

“During this next term of office, we will work together to ensure that European football remains united, that European football remains respectful, respectable and respected, and that European football continues to demonstrate solidarity and bring hope.

“By putting respect, hope and solidarity at the heart of our strategy, we will step up our efforts to develop football in every country by putting the focus back on grassroots football and education.”

The UEFA Strategy “Together for the Future of Football” was presented to the UEFA Congress. It covers the period between 2019 and 2024, and has been drawn up in consultation with European national associations, leagues, clubs and players’ bodies. It is designed to ensure that UEFA remains true to its core values as the governing body of European football, and is in a position to drive progressive initiatives and programmes to be implemented over the next five years.

The strategy is based on four main pillars – keeping football first; building trust; ensuring competitiveness and increasing prosperity.

The UEFA President also informed delegates that UEFA would launch its own OTT platform in the next six months.

In other electoral matters, Florence Hardouin, France was re-elected by acclamation for a four-year term for the female position on the UEFA Executive Committee.

Elections for seven seats on the UEFA Executive Committee for the 2019-23 period also took place, and the following members were (re-)elected for four-year terms:

First ballot (absolute majority – more than half of the valid votes cast)

• Sándor Csányi Hungary 49
• Luis Rubiales Spain 47 (new)
• Davor Šuker Croatia 47
• Fernando Gomes Portugal 45
• Jesper Møller Christensen Denmark 40 (new)
• Armand Duka Albania 36 (new)
• Andrii Pavelko Ukraine 27 (new)
• Borislav Mihaylov Bulgaria 25
• Elvedin Begić Bosnia and Herzegovina 15

Kairat Boranbayev (Kazahkstan) withdrew his candidature prior to the elections.

At its post-Congress constitutive meeting, the UEFA Executive Committee has appointed Sándor Csányi (Hungary) as UEFA vice-president in replacement of the departing Grigoriy Surkis.

The FIFA vice-president position reserved for the four British associations (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) was elected for the period 2019-23 with the following results:

• Clarke Greg (England) 37
• Martin David (Northern Ireland) 18

One European member of the FIFA Council was re-elected by acclamation for the 2019-23 period:

• Reinhard Grindel Germany

Two European members of the FIFA Council were elected by acclamation for the 2019-21 period:

• Fernando Gomes Portugal
• Georgios Koumas Cyprus

The UEFA Congress also took the following decisions:

• Nasser Al-Khelaifi was ratified as a representative of the European Club Association (ECA) on the UEFA Executive Committee;
• Honorary membership was bestowed to Grigoriy Surkis, who is retiring from the UEFA Executive Committee;
• The 2017/18 annual report, the 2017/18 financial statements and the 2019/20 budget were approved;
• Petra Stanonik Bošnjak, Thomas Cayol, Polly Handford and Antonio García Alcaraz were ratified as new members of the Organs for the Administration of Justice.

The next Ordinary UEFA Congress will take place on 3 March 2020 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

UEFA Executive Committee meeting of 6 February

The UEFA Executive Committee also met in Rome on 6 February and decided to increase the number of participants to the final tournament of the UEFA Under-21 Championship 2019-21 – which will take place in Hungary and Slovenia in June 2021 – from 12 to 16 participants.

This change of format will offer more participants the possibility to qualify for the final stage of this top-level championship and provide valuable experience to more promising young players and teams.

The UEFA Executive Committee also approved the regulations of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Women’s Champions League, UEFA Futsal Champions League, UEFA Youth League and of the 2019 UEFA Super Cup.

(UEFA)