House of European Football

'United continent' – Lennart Johansson
The inauguration speech from Lennart Johansson, then president of UEFA and now UEFA honorary president, recognised that the organisation had not only found a resting place that symbolised the healthy state of European football, but one in which the sport could continue to develop and prosper. "Over the years, and thanks to the traditional values of European football, UEFA has become the focal point of the European game," he said. "We have worked hard throughout our continent to create the United Europe of Football, and we, all together – member associations, leagues, clubs, committee members - have built a united continent in our game. I believe that the House of European Football will perfectly reflect the way in which the European Football Union wishes to promote and develop football throughout the continent."

Five moves
UEFA had known several homes before the House of European Football - Paris until 1959; the Swiss federal capital, Berne (until 1995, with two moves within the city in 1962 and 1974); and provisional offices in the Providentia insurance building in Nyon, western Switzerland between 1995 and September 1999.

Local support
After deciding to move from Berne in April 1993, UEFA and the Nyon municipal authorities signed the commitment to buy and sell the plot of land, ‘La Colline', in July 1993, and Nyon commune council authorised the sale of the land to UEFA three months later. Late 1996 saw initial preparations, construction work - involving many local companies - began the following February, and the then UEFA president Lennart Johansson laid the foundation stone in a special ceremony on 18 April 1997.

Facilitating the future
While UEFA has continued to grow rapidly, both in terms of activities and staff, facilities at the building also considered UEFA's further expansion in the future, with conference rooms equipped with simultaneous translation facilities and a restaurant included in the new complex. The offices are situated on the two upper floors of the building, which covers a total volume of 48,500 cubic metres over a surface area of 80 metres by 30 metres. In addition, the superstructures house another three conference rooms.

Ongoing expansion
UEFA's headquarters have continued to expand and keep apace with the development of European football. In October 2010, UEFA's new administrative building was inaugurated in Nyon, Switzerland, at a ceremony attended by UEFA's member national associations and the UEFA Executive Committee.

La Clairière
The La Clairière building is located opposite the House of European Football, and has enabled UEFA to bring together some of its staff members who had been based at different sites.

High ecological and environmental standards
Circular in shape, the new four-level building meets high ecological and environmental standards. The foundation stone for the building was laid in January 2009.
A third UEFA building, Bois-Bougy - also built with environmental considerations in mind - opened for business in March 2012.