Alexander Čeferin will run for the UEFA presidency for the fourth and final time. The 58-year-old Slovenian announced on Thursday (October 8), at a meeting of representatives from the 55 national associations in Berlin, that he had accepted their request to run again, having received their unanimous support.
Ceferin had previously stated that he would not seek another term, but he has changed his stance and will remain in the race for the presidency. His re-election is expected to be confirmed at the 51st UEFA Congress, to be held on April 22, 2027, in Astana, Kazakhstan.
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“I want to thank the national associations for their trust. In recent years, we have faced significant challenges and overcome them as a team. There is still important work ahead of us, and for that reason, I accepted their request to run for re-election,” Ceferin said.
“My ambition remains the same: to keep European soccer united, to make our sport stronger, and to hand over a UEFA that is ready for the next generation,” he added.
UEFA had amended its statutes in 2024, allowing its president to run for a fourth term. England was the only one of the 55 member associations to vote against the change at the time.
At the same time, the European federations reiterated their lack of confidence in FIFA’s leadership and Gianni Infantino, essentially calling for a change in leadership at the world governing body. Ceferin, however, has made it clear that he will not run for the FIFA presidency against Infantino.
*photo source: AP
