ZURICH: UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin will continue at the helm of European football for the next four years after being re-elected for a second term of office at the 43rd UEFA Ordinary Congress in Rome.
The 51-year old Slovenian, who was elected as UEFA’s seventh President in September 2016, was confirmed in office by acclamation on Thursday by delegates from UEFA’s 55 member associations. He also cautioned about the challenges ahead and the body’s relationship with FIFA.
“Thank you once again for placing your trust in me. I am both touched and honoured.
“In a world of constant and increasingly rapid change, where time seems to go ever faster and every day brings a fresh challenge, we are going to have to do more than simply adapt. We are going to have to think ahead and undertake some major developments.
“We must not allow our recent short-term successes to hide the much more complex challenges that lie ahead.
“We will work hand in hand with our partner, the ECA [European Club Association], to design the club competitions of the future. Club competitions that are in keeping with the times, full of excitement and intensity, and open; a new type of competition that will bring a different dimension to European football, but still based on two principles on which we will not give way. Clubs from all 55 member associations will have the opportunity to take part, and qualification will be based on sporting merit.” “
We will be a source of constructive ideas for FIFA, rather than one of opposition. We are ready to work with the world governing body to ensure that football remains the world’s number one sport, and that Europe continues to lead the way.”
The UEFA President emphasised the important status of Europe’s major national team competitions – the UEFA Euro championships and the UEFA Nations League. The latter he said, was promising to be a resounding success, while UEFA Euro 2020 – to be staged in 12 cities across Europe next summer – will send out ‘a strong message not only to football lovers, but to Europe as a whole; the message of an open, tolerant and united Europe.’
He also declared that the UEFA will be launching its own OTT platform in partnership with Asian e-commerce giant Alibaba to make football more accessible to fans around the world.
“This is why I am pleased to announce that UEFA will be launching its OTT platform in the next six months,” Ceferin added.
“We are fully aware that a revolution is under way, and are in the process of agreeing historic partnerships with the world’s leading companies in this field.
“We have already started to move in this direction thanks to a sponsorship deal with the Alibaba Group. This partnership is more than a simple sponsorship deal. It’s a first agreement that opens up new horizons, such as the creation of a centre of excellence in new football technologies or joint e-commerce projects.
“Together, we are inventing the future, and our only limit is our imagination.” Ceferin further stated.
The UEFA President concluded that focus would be given to grassroots football and education, while concerted work would be devoted to making ‘football fairer’ through the further development of the financial fair play system that has helped restore stability to European club football.
