- Aleksander Ceferin will continue as UEFA president until 2027, when his term ends
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There will be a new president at UEFA beyond 2027 after Aleksander Ceferin decided not to seek a new term at the helm of European football’s governing body.
In a controversial context, UEFA members approved changes to the statutes that would have given Ceferin the opportunity to remain as UEFA president until 2031 for what would be an unprecedented fourth term.
However, shortly after getting the official green light to remain in power, Ceferin revealed that he intends to leave office within three years.
“Six months ago I decided that I would not run again,” the 56-year-old Slovenian said at a press conference after the Congress.
‘The reason is that after a while every organization needs new blood, but especially because I was away from my family for seven years.
Alexander Ceferin will not be UEFA president beyond his current term, which ends in 2027
Ceferin cited long absences from his family as the reason for his decision to leave.
The Slovenian pictured with his wife Barbara (right) and daughter Petra (left) in August 2019.
‘I intentionally didn’t want to reveal my thoughts before, because first of all I wanted to see the real face of some people and I saw it.
“I have a beautiful life in football and I also have a beautiful life outside of football.”
The announcement comes shortly after the Football Association was the only one to show the red card to UEFA rule changes that allowed Ceferin the option to run for a new four-year term as president from 2027. .
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham was the only national association delegate to show a red card rejecting the amendments at the UEFA Congress in Paris, but the motion was passed with 49 of the 55 associations showing a green card. support.
The amendment meant that Ceferin’s first partial term, which began in September 2016, would not count towards the three-term limit, allowing him the possibility of a new term between 2027 and 2031.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham showed red card opposing UEFA changes at Congress
Despite protests from Bullingham and the FA, 49 out of 55 nations voted in favor of the change
The FA, along with Norway and Iceland, had tried to tear up the package of rules amendments, because it staunchly supports most of the proposed measures, including an increase in the minimum female representation on UEFA’s executive committee from one to two. .
However, the decision was made to vote in favor of the amendments as a package, forcing the FA to vote against the term limit amendment as a matter of principle, rather than voting against Ceferin himself.