Aleksander Ceferin Plans UEFA Presidency Bid to Stay Until 2031
Aleksander Ceferin has told UEFA’s national associations that he intends to stand for a further term as president, a decision that could keep the Slovenian in office until 2031 and extend his leadership of European football to 15 years.
Ceferin confirmed his plans at a meeting in Berlin on Thursday morning, despite having previously indicated that he expected to leave the role when his current mandate ends in 2027. If re-elected at next year’s UEFA Congress in Astana, Kazakhstan, he would begin an unprecedented fourth spell as president.
Path to a fourth term
- UEFA’s Congress in Paris in 2024 approved revisions to the organisation’s statutes on presidential limits, removing the obstacle that would otherwise have prevented Ceferin from serving beyond three terms.
- At a subsequent UEFA gathering in Copenhagen, Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi encouraged Ceferin to remain in the post, underlining the support available to him among leading clubs and associations.
- Ceferin then informed association leaders in Berlin that he would seek re-election, reversing his earlier expectation that he would depart in 2027.
- The presidential election is due to be held at the UEFA Congress in Astana next year.
Ceferin’s decision is expected to preserve continuity within UEFA at a time when European football’s governing body is in an increasingly sharp dispute with FIFA over control of the international calendar and the commercial future of major competitions.
UEFA’s dispute with FIFA
A central part of Ceferin’s case for remaining in office is the defence of the European sporting structure and UEFA’s commercial position, particularly the Champions League. His continued leadership is also seen as a response to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, with whom he has repeatedly disagreed over proposals affecting the global game.
The disagreement intensified in July, when reports emerged of plans to bring substantial private investment into a company that would oversee commercial rights connected to FIFA’s leading tournaments. The proposal would cover the men’s and women’s World Cups.
UEFA officials fear that such an arrangement would weaken their influence over football’s wider structure and place too much authority in private capital. UEFA has said it no longer has confidence in Infantino because of the way the investment proposals have been handled.
Norwegian complaint adds pressure on Infantino
While Ceferin strengthens his position within UEFA, Infantino is also facing a formal ethics complaint from the Norwegian Football Federation.
The Norwegian body’s three-part complaint raises concerns over alleged political interference and a possible misuse of power. It also questions the transparency behind FIFA decision-making and the growing role private finance could play in the organisation’s long-term strategy.
The action represents an unusual direct legal challenge by a FIFA member association against the leadership of world football’s governing body, adding to the scrutiny around Infantino as UEFA prepares for its own presidential vote.
