Aleksander Čeferin becomes chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has been elected the new chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children. The body, which aims to help children in difficult circumstances and defends their rights, made the announcement on Wednesday following a board meeting at its headquarters in Nyon.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to work even closer with our foundation, which plays an instrumental role in aiding children living in challenging and difficult conditions around the world," said Mr Čeferin.

Manchester United FC and Real Madrid CF players learnt sign language at the 2017 UEFA Super Cup in an initiative backed by the UEFA Foundation for Children©UEFA

Mr Čeferin succeeds José Manuel Durão Barroso as chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children. The former president of the European Commission had led the charity since its creation in 2015.

"I was honoured to be invited by UEFA to be the first chairman of the foundation," said Barroso. "I hope the UEFA Foundation for Children will continue, and even increase, the important support it gives to so many underprivileged children around the world."

The assembly took the opportunity to thank Mr Barroso for his excellent work over the last two and a half years as well as Mr Sándor Csányi, the president of the Hungarian Football Federation and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee, who also announced that he is stepping down as a foundation board member. 

Mr Čeferin is one of three new additions to the board of trustees. He will be joined by the president of the National Paralympic Committee of Kazakhstan, Kairat Boranbayev, and Kevin Lamour, director of UEFA’s President and Executive Office.

Aleksander Čeferin helped to open a football pitch at the Za'atari refugee camp, which is supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children.©UEFA.com

“It is a great honour for me, but also a big responsibility," said Mr Boranbayev. “Children are the most important thing we have in life. They are our future and how this future develops largely depends on us and our support today."

Following Wednesday’s board meeting, it was revealed that the UEFA Foundation for Children would be investing in a further 28 projects. This takes the number of total projects the charity is supporting to 107, and means that it is active in all six continents across the world. 

"It is important that the UEFA Foundation for Children is globally encompassing, and can give disadvantaged youngsters the chance to have access to education and sport," Mr Čeferin explained. "I am delighted we are taking on more projects, as this means we have the potential to help even more youngsters around the world."