12th Extraordinary UEFA Congress
Extraordinary Congress of UEFA
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The 2016 UEFA Extraordinary Congress was held at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre in Athens, Greece, on 14 September 2016. The extraordinary session of the UEFA Congress was convened following the election of Aleksander Čeferin as President of UEFA earlier that day. The Congress approved amendments to the UEFA Statutes to align UEFA's governance structure with reforms adopted by FIFA earlier in the year, elected members of the UEFA Executive Committee, and considered governance matters arising from the resignation of former UEFA president Michel Platini.[1][2]
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14 September 2016
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Background
UEFA called an Extraordinary Congress following the resignation of President Michel Platini, whose presidency had effectively been suspended after sanctions imposed by the FIFA Ethics Committee in December 2015. Platini formally resigned in May 2016 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced, but upheld, his suspension from football-related activities.[3]
Following Platini's resignation, UEFA's Executive Committee scheduled an Extraordinary Congress in Athens to elect a new president to serve the remainder of the 2015–2019 term.[4]
Presidential election
Candidates
Two candidates were nominated for the presidency before the nomination deadline:
Michael van Praag, President of the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and UEFA Executive Committee member.
Aleksander Čeferin, President of the Football Association of Slovenia.
Čeferin received the support of a majority of UEFA's member associations during the campaign and was widely regarded as the favourite heading into the vote.[5]
Results
Aleksander Čeferin was elected UEFA President in the first round of voting, defeating Michael van Praag by 42 votes to 13.
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Aleksander Čeferin |
42 | 76.4 |
 Michael van Praag |
13 | 23.6 |
Executive Committee elections
Following the presidential election, delegates elected members to the UEFA Executive Committee for four-year terms. The elections were held in accordance with the UEFA Statutes and included representatives from several national associations.[6]
Statutory amendments
The Congress approved amendments to the UEFA Statutes designed to strengthen governance and harmonise UEFA's structures with the reforms adopted by FIFA in February 2016. The changes included updated eligibility requirements for elected officials, governance provisions relating to integrity and ethics, and revisions concerning the composition and responsibilities of UEFA's governing bodies.[7]
Reactions
National associations welcomed Čeferin's election, with many describing it as an opportunity to restore confidence in UEFA following the corruption scandals that had engulfed both UEFA and FIFA. In his acceptance speech, Čeferin pledged to improve transparency, strengthen governance standards, and ensure that football remained focused on sporting rather than political interests.[8]