UEFA Congress condemns breakaway plans

The 45th Ordinary UEFA Congress was held today in Montreux, Switzerland, and the 55 member associations unanimously approved a declaration strongly condemning the so-called Super League as follows:

Statement of the UEFA Congress

45th UEFA Ordinary Congress – 20 April 2021

The 55 member associations and participants in the UEFA Congress condemn the declaration of a so- called “Super League.” The UEFA Congress is adamant that the closed “Super League” goes against the very concept of what it is to be European: unified, open, supportive, and principled on sporting values. UEFA and its member associations believe in a truly European model that is founded on open competitions, solidarity and redistribution to ensure the sustainability and development of the game for the benefit of all and the promotion of European values and social outcomes.

The conspirator clubs have obviously failed to see that their status today was not achieved in isolation, but rather was part of a dynamic European system where big, medium and small clubs have all contributed to the successes and losses of everyone. It is an affront to European values and sporting merit for them to assume they are entitled to “separate” and lay claim to the legacy that everyone built.

UEFA, its member associations and all those who love football stand firm and will strongly resist and fight against this move by these clubs’ owners and their backers to the fullest extent possible. We know, morally, what is at stake and will protect football from a selfish clan who care nothing for the game. We are European football. They are not.

Other decisions made at the UEFA Congress today include:

Elections

The following candidates were elected for:

• eight positions on the UEFA Executive Committee for a four-year term

First ballot (absolute majority – more than half of the valid votes cast)

Candidate - Number of votes

Gabriele Gravina (ITA) 53

Karl-Erik Nilsson (SWE)* 52

Alexander Dyukov (RUS) 50

David Gill (ENG)* 48

Zbigniew Boniek (POL)* 47

Rainer Koch (GER)* 47

Servet Yardımcı (TUR)* 47

Just Spee (NED) 31

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mehdi Bayat (BEL) 14

*re-elected

• a FIFA vice-president position reserved for the four British associations for a two-year term

Candidate - Number of votes

David Martin (NIR) 48

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Michael Mulraney (SCO) 4

Kieran O’Connor (WAL) 3

• One female member position on the FIFA Council for a four-year term

Candidate - Number of votes

Evelina Christillin (ITA)* 33

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Laura McAllister (WAL) 22

*re-elected

• Four ordinary member positions on the FIFA Council for a four-year term

All four following candidates were elected by acclamation:

Răzvan Burleanu (ROM)

Georgios Koumas* (CYP)

Peter Peters (GER)

Dejan Savićević* (MNE)

*re-elected

Ratifications

Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were ratified as the representatives of the European Club Association (ECA) on the UEFA Executive Committee by acclamation for three-year terms.

Javier Tebas was ratified as the representatives of European Leagues on the UEFA Executive Committee by acclamation for a four-year term.

New members of the UEFA Organs for the Administration of Justice and for the UEFA Governance and Compliance Committee were ratified for two-year terms.

Finances

The 2019/20 financial statements and the budget for the 2021/22 financial year were approved.

UEFA Statutes

Several statutory amendments were approved and will enter into force immediately.

Honorary membership

The UEFA Congress bestowed honorary membership upon Michael van Praag for his outstanding service to European football and UEFA since 2000, and his tenure as a UEFA Executive Committee member since 2009.

Next UEFA Ordinary Congress

The next UEFA Congress will take place in Vienna, Austria on 11 May 2022.