The governing body of European Football, UEFA – the Union of European Football Associations – hosted the latest Convention on the Future of European Football in Nyon, with stakeholders across the entire football community to hold successful talks by bringing attention to boost women’s football, competitiveness and governance.
The meeting is an open dialogue process bringing together European football to work on the long-term policy as well as the governance reforms necessary to improve a sustainable future for football that is mutually beneficial for everyone.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said at the conference:
“Football dialogue can only exist where unity, inclusion, solidarity and sporting merit are the common denominators of any constructive and good intent negotiations only in that case. We all have a role, we all have a function that is vital for the European sports model and for the governance of European football, without our collective efforts at the different levels of the pyramid, football in Europe would not be the success that it is today and it’s a super success.”
European Club Association Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi added at the conference:
“The future of European football need to consider the interest of all stakeholders, all leagues, all clubs, all associations and all fans that’s what we need to look at and protect, whatever the differences between all the stakeholders, we showed we are together as one and as a result the future of European football is very bright.”
There were many positives takes from the sessions and exchanges amongst experts with which some of the following points were agreed:
- UEFA will dedicate itself by creating more stakeholder-centred and action-oriented platforms of engagement to allow more contributions from stakeholders.
- Competitive trends were evaluated both at the domestic and European level, along with the increasing polarisation, crucial topics such as financial retribution, solidarity, quality youth players’ training, the regulation and the smooth process of transfers and agents as well as the multi-club investment were heavily discussed, putting it into the top end of the list.
- The process to develop UEFA’s women’s football blueprint from 2024 onwards.
Along with the major European football stakeholders, UEFA are committed to cementing the foundations of football in the continent for the present and the future.