UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has informed the presidents and general secretaries of UEFA's 55 national member associations of his intention to stand for a final term and continue to lead the organisation beyond 2027. In recent months, the associations had unanimously asked Ceferin to reconsider his previous decision not to stand again. Ceferin has now agreed to do so and has confirmed his intention to stand for re-election at the 51st Ordinary UEFA Congress, which will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 22 April 2027. The Slovenian's candidacy is of course also supported by Armand Duka, head of the Albanian Football Association and UEFA vice-president.
"I would like to thank the national associations for their trust. Over the past few years we have faced extraordinary challenges and we have overcome them as a united team. There is still much important work to be done and that is why I have accepted their request," said Ceferin. "My ambition remains the same: to keep European football united, to make our sport stronger and to leave UEFA ready for the next generation. I am also deeply grateful to my family. This decision demands a lot from them and I could not have made it without their understanding and support."
The meeting in Berlin also focused on the future of FIFA’s governance and leadership. After calling for fundamental changes in recent months, UEFA and all national associations, with the exception of the Azerbaijan Football Federation, have agreed on a clear direction for FIFA reform. The national associations reiterated that they have lost confidence in FIFA’s current leadership. Institutional reform alone will not be enough. FIFA also needs new leadership: a respected and unifying figure, deeply connected to football, with the vision and experience needed to lead the organisation, able to command the trust of all regions and with an unquestionable commitment to development, reform, integrity and independence. Another meeting of UEFA’s 55 national associations will take place by 17 November 2026.
