2023 in review: New competitions, new trophies and new winners

For the first time in three years there was no major men's or women's EURO to whet the appetite of fans across Europe, but 2023 proved no less busy on the pitch.

In total, 20 champions were crowned this year across UEFA's senior, youth and futsal competitions, with Spain also lifting the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia.

It was a year in which UEFA's long-standing partnership with CONMEBOL bore new fruit. England beat Brazil on penalties in the inaugural Women's Finalissima, watched by 83,132 at Wembley, Sevilla defeated Independiente del Valle in the Club Challenge while Boca restored South American pride by defeating UEFA Youth League champions AZ Alkmaar in the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup. Futsal's four-team Finalissima was won by Portugal.

Below, we look back at some of European football's standout moments of 2023, and highlight key decisions that ensure there will be plenty more to look forward to in 2024 and beyond.

Excitement builds for UEFA EURO 2024

We now know 21 of the 24 teams that will compete at next summer's EURO 2024 in Germany.

December's draw brought the promise of some fascinating group stage fixtures, kicking off with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in Group A. There will be repeats of both UEFA EURO 2020 semi-finals, with Spain and Italy meeting in Group B and England and Denmark reunited in Group C.

Of the 12 teams still vying for one of three remaining places at the finals, perhaps the biggest surprise package was Luxembourg, who enjoyed the most successful campaign in their history, finishing third in their qualifying group with 17 points from ten matches.

Thanks to similarly impressive results in the UEFA Nations League, Luxembourg could still make the short journey to Germany should they proceed through the EURO play-offs next March. First, they must beat Georgia away, before a winner-takes-all home tie against either Greece or Kazakhstan.

Albärt was unveiled to the world in June 2023UEFA via Getty Images

Some important identities we do already know: the official tournament mascot is Albärt, a friendly bear named following a fan vote, and Meduza, OneRepublic and Kim Petras will create the official tournament song. Watch this space!

Looking beyond 2024, we also know the hosts for the next two European Championship finals. The UK and Republic of Ireland will stage the 2028 edition with Italy and Türkiye set to take the responsibility four years later.

Women's EURO 2025 heads to Switzerland

In April, it was confirmed that the next UEFA Women's EURO will unfold in the heart of Europe, with Switzerland chosen to stage the 16-team tournament across eight venues.

The Swiss bid, which was up against the French Football Federation, the Polish Football Association and a combined proposal from the associations of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, promises a high-quality, environmentally friendly tournament.

Teams reaching the finals will do so having navigated their way through a new qualifying process, thanks to a new women's national team competition system which launched this year.

The competition comprises two interconnected phases, the UEFA Women's Nations League and the European Qualifiers, each played in a league-style format with associations divided into three tiers.

This autumn teams took part in the first Nations League group stage with France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain set to compete for the new trophy in February 2024.

Together with the approval of a first-ever minimum standards framework in October, the new competition system is one of several measures that UEFA has taken to level the playing field for women's national team football across Europe.

First-timers in the spotlight

The open nature of UEFA's club competitions, based purely on merit, mean that every player in every club in every league has the chance to pursue the dream of playing on a UEFA matchnight.

In 2023, these dreams came true in the UEFA Europa Conference League for players from HŠK Zrinjski, KÍ Klaksvik and Breidablik, the first group stage representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Faroe Islands and Iceland respectively.

Such performances underline the rationale of the Europa Conference League, boosting local pride in towns, regions and nations that previously felt estranged from European football – and sending a positive message to other less-heralded teams.

The list of rewards for reaching the group stage also includes a financial component, further bolstering the competition's positive impact on smaller clubs. All 32 group stage sides received a minimum €2.94m for taking part.

Continued growth and evolution for the women's club game

European women's club football will also have a new look from the 2025/26 season. Earlier this month, UEFA announced a new format for the UEFA Women's Champions League and the introduction of a second European women’s club competition.

Both competitions have been developed with the aim of increasing competitiveness, with top teams going head to head earlier in the competition, and maximising participation while also considering calendar constraints and player load.

At the beginning of the year, 221 clubs from 17 nations received the first-ever financial distribution from UEFA Women's EURO 2022. The new club benefits programme, paid to sides whose players appeared in the tournament, is recognition of their important contribution to the success of the tournament and is also a symbol of UEFA's commitment to the development of all facets of the women's game.

Awards season honours excellence

UEFA's annual Player of the Year awards crowned two first-time winners who had inspired their clubs to glory the previous season.

Erling Haaland's goalscoring form helped Manchester City to their first Champions League title. The Norwegian scored 12 times in 11 matches, becoming the youngest and quickest player to 35 competition goals in the process, as well as scoring a record 36 times in the English Premier League as City retained their domestic title.

Aitana Bonmatí was Barcelona's standout performer as they successfully defended their Women's Champions League crown. The Spaniard scored five times and delivered eight assists in 11 appearances, claiming five Player of the Match awards along the way. The 25-year-old rounded off a magical season by netting three goals to help Spain claim their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup title.

Aitana Bonmatí and Erling Haaland UEFA via Getty Images

City's Pep Guardiola and England's Sarina Wiegman were the respective Men's and Women's Coaches of the Season, while German legend Miroslav Klose received the UEFA President's Award at the Monaco ceremony.

In November, UEFA announced that from 2024, we will be co-organising the prestigious Ballon d'Or alongside Groupe Amaury, owner of media companies France Football and L'Équipe.

Presented annually by France Football since 1956, the Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious accolade a footballer can receive in recognition of outstanding achievements and exceptional talent.

Super Cup, special memories

August's Super Cup paired Champions League winners Manchester City with seven-time Europa League champions Sevilla in Piraeus, Greece.

City emerged victorious on penalties after an entertaining 1-1 draw, but the event will also be remembered for showing football's power to inspire, thanks to the UEFA Foundation.

The Foundation welcomed local children to the game and both teams' pre-match training sessions, where they had the opportunity to chat and take selfies with their heroes. Leukia, a visually impaired ten-year-old girl, joined UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin in presenting the trophy and medals to the players, even receiving a hug from City coach Pep Guardiola.

Landscape report shows European football's strength and depth

UEFA's new-look European Club Talent and Competition Landscape report was released in September, providing an up-to-the-minute review on the summer transfer window as well as laying out an in-depth view of the game's state of play in 2023.

The headlines? A record 209 million fans attending club matches across Europe's 55 national associations and record transfer investments beyond pre-pandemic figures. Check out the dedicated microsite for more information.

Futsal thriving for men and women

With rising participation across the continent and successful showpiece events, European futsal continues to go from strength to strength.

Spain secured a third straight Women's Futsal EURO title thanks to a 5-1 victory over Ukraine. As with the men's competition, the tournament has sparked a significant growth in women's futsal across Europe, with 24 countries now participating in the qualifiers.

There was a new name on the UEFA Futsal Champions League trophy in 2023 after debutants and hosts Mallorca Palma Futsal beat two-time winners Sporting CP on penalties in the final, The event represented a breakthrough moment, both for Palma, whose squad included only four players with UEFA club competition experience, and men's club futsal in Europe. The final-four appearances of Palma and Sporting Anderlecht Futsal – Belgium's first semi-finalists since 2007 – spoke of the sport's rising levels of competitiveness and participation. A total of 56 clubs representing 52 of the 54 eligible national associations had lined up on the starting grid for the Futsal Champions League – more than double the number of clubs in the inaugural 2001/02 UEFA Futsal Cup.

Spain players celebrate victory after the UEFA Women's Futsal EURO finalUEFA via Getty Images

Attendance records at Under-21 EURO

Records tumbled on and off the pitch at the European Under-21 Championship finals with England winning the title for the first time since 1984 amid all-time high attendances.

A total 316,023 fans attended matches in Georgia and Romania, with the competition's three highest-ever crowds recorded during Georgia games.

Giving youth a chance

The revenue generated by UEFA's senior competitions provided funding for five youth competitions in 2023: the Under-17 and U19 Championships for men's and women's national teams and the Youth League for men's clubs. Each leaves a lasting legacy, on and off the pitch. Promising players gain valuable experience of international tournament football, host countries invest in better facilities and the rising stars of tomorrow inspire more youngsters to take up the game.

These tournaments also offer important educational opportunities, featuring integrity workshops on anti-doping and anti-match-fixing, as well as learning through UEFA's OUTRAGED documentary – an exploration of racism, sexism, homophobia, refugee discrimination and online abuse through the personal experiences of well-known footballers.

Regions' Cup: the amateurs' time to shine

Finally, the UEFA Regions' Cup, the unofficial Champions League for amateur players, made its comeback in 2023 after a four-year hiatus.

Since its inception in 1999, the Regions' Cup has showcased the dedication and talent of grassroots players from across Europe, and the 2023 edition was no different.

Hosts Galicia, from Spain, were crowned eventual champions in their first ever appearance in the finals, edging out Belgrade. "It was an incredible experience to play in and win the tournament," said Galicia's Antonio González. "It was a moment of euphoria and collective happiness that we will always remember. The Regions' Cup is the best trophy that I can win, and gives you the feeling of being a professional, without being professional. The visibility it gives to non-professional football, which is played in regions across Europe, is very important."