Aleksander Čeferin: 'Better decisions come from listening'

It has been another busy year for European football, with unmissable action on the pitch matched by crucial collaboration and valuable progress off it.

For Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin, the end of the season marks the ideal time to contemplate key achievements, from new competitions to closer ties between confederations and a greater voice for more of the game's stakeholders.

In this wide-ranging and exclusive Q&A, President Čeferin discusses 10 years of leading Uefa, his personal highlights and the strength of the European game.

You're approaching a decade as Uefa president - how do you stay motivated and energised after tackling so many challenges in that period?

I think the honest answer is that football gives you energy by its very nature. It is almost impossible to serve this game and remain indifferent to it. Every week, somewhere in Europe, there is a moment that reminds you why it matters: a dramatic high-scoring thriller, a child playing for the first time, stadiums filled with emotions, a small club reaching a European stage, or a national team bringing joy and pride to an entire country.

I don't want to repeat myself about the past, such as the pandemic, legal disputes, political tensions and many more. But, as exhausting as they are, these challenges also give your work a deeper purpose. They constantly remind us why openness, accessibility and the unity of European football are not abstract principles but responsibilities we must strive to protect.

What are your favourite moments that you get to experience in the role?

It's hard to answer this question. The finals are always special, of course. When you stand in a stadium before a Champions League or EURO final and feel the noise, the anticipation and the emotion rising around you, you understand the unique place football holds in people's lives. Such moments stay with you forever.

But sometimes, it's the quieter moments that touch you even more deeply. Visiting a Uefa Foundation or a grassroots project and watching children play with pure joy. Meeting volunteers who have given 30 or 40 years of their lives to a local club. Such experiences are quite humbling and bring a different kind of emotion - a deep sense of modesty, gratitude and respect.

Football often brings together people who otherwise would probably never sit at the same table. Many times, I have witnessed people set aside their own opinions, interests, and expectations and submit to the beautiful game. In such moments, football transcends any competition and interest and becomes a truly common language.

How do you reflect on Uefa's 2025/26 men's and women's club competitions?

Another very strong season is behind us, both on the pitch and in what it represents for European football.

In the men's competitions, we saw drama, quality and the clear value of having three European club competitions. The Champions League remains the absolute pinnacle of football, while the Europa League and Conference League continue to give more clubs, countries and supporters the thrill of European football. That matters because the spotlight of European nights must never belong only to a small number of clubs.

In the women's game, this season marked another important step forward. The new Women's Champions League format brought more high-quality matches, greater visibility and a stronger competitive rhythm, while the new competition, the Uefa Women's Europa Cup, brought a new layer of representation and variety. The standard is rising quickly, and interest from supporters, broadcasters and clubs is growing with it.

For Uefa, the objective remains clear: our competitions must be commercially strong and attractive but also stand for openness, integrity and the celebration of the game. This season showed once again that we are moving in the right direction.

How do you assess the overall health of European football, and what are the biggest challenges it currently faces?

European football is in a strong place but strength alone does not mean there are no risks. The interest in our game is enormous. Stadiums are full, audience numbers keep rising, and our competitions are loved and followed worldwide. Financially, the sport continues to grow but we must remain careful, as the revenue growth alone is not an indicator of sustainability. Costs are rising, too. The pressure on elite players is strong. The calendar is demanding. Some clubs and leagues are under financial strain and the risk remains that the gap between the biggest clubs and the rest widens. Uefa takes each of these challenges very seriously and we look for solutions through conversation and understanding with all our stakeholders.

In recent years, Uefa has given more of a voice to clubs, players and supporters – how is this helping to ensure the game serves all of its stakeholders?

It helps because better decisions come from listening. Football is not well governed when decisions are made in isolation. National associations, clubs and leagues understand the realities of competitions and investment. Players understand the physical and mental demands of the game. Supporters understand identity, access and atmosphere better than anyone. Governance, therefore, must be built on serious consultation, mutual respect and the ability to find balanced solutions.

For me, the progress on player representation has been especially important. Players must have a real voice when we discuss the calendar, health, workload and the future of competitions. Supporters, too, must be treated with great respect and appreciation, not simply as customers, however common such an unfortunate term has become in the modern football business environment. Without them, football loses its meaning and its soul.

The goal is to make Uefa a place where the football family can disagree constructively while still moving forward together.

Uefa recently signed memorandums of understanding with several of our fellow confederations – what benefits will this bring?

Football belongs to the world. For Uefa, that brings a responsibility not only to protect and develop the game in Europe but also to share knowledge, experience and support whatever is useful to other confederations. These agreements are built on practical cooperation: youth development, coach education, refereeing, administration, knowledge exchange and competition expertise, so that good ideas and practices can travel faster and football can move forward at the same pace.

Europe has experience to share, but it also has much to learn. Every confederation has its own realities, cultures, challenges and solutions. By working alongside our sister confederations from Africa, South America, Concacaf, Oceania and soon, Asia, we gain a deeper understanding of the global game and of the many ways football can flourish with strength, respect and a sense of shared purpose.

We also kicked off our first strategic corporate partnership with the Schwarz group – what effect will this have and should we expect more of these relationships?

Commercial partnerships have always played an important role in football, and over the years, that role has evolved. They still significantly contribute to the game's revenue, but today they are becoming more strategic, purposeful, and aligned with football's wider responsibilities.

With Schwarz Group, through Lidl and PreZero, we aim to work on areas that reach far beyond the elite level: grassroots football, schools, nutrition, health and sustainability. These are not decorative topics. They are part of the future of football. If children are more active, if grassroots coaches receive better support, and if competitions and stadiums become more sustainable, then football is doing something meaningful for society.

Should we expect more partnerships of this kind? Yes, but only when they make sense. We need partners who bring expertise, credibility and long-term value to the game - to players, clubs, coaches, supporters and the communities around them.

What are your hopes and expectations for European teams at this summer's FIFA World Cup?

I expect European teams to leave a big mark on the competition. We have strong teams, outstanding coaches and a new generation of exciting young players who can show both the quality and the depth of European national team football.

I have no doubt they will be highly competitive, and I expect to see one of them go all the way. More broadly, I hope the tournament reminds us of football at its best: respect, passion, skill, courage and fair play.

Finally, what does your own schedule look like for the summer?

It will not be a quiet summer, because football never really stops. The World Cup will soon start but so will the Uefa club competitions, with 195 clubs from across Europe playing in the qualifying phase. We are also already preparing for the Super Cup in Salzburg and the season kick-off draw in Monaco, both in August. From the outside, people sometimes imagine there is a pause after the finals but in reality, the game moves on very quickly.

But I will also try to take a little time with my family. You need moments away from meetings and airports, otherwise you lose perspective. I was not very good at doing nothing for too long but a few quiet days are necessary as we get older.

And then, the new season will arrive sooner than we think. Football gives you many things but it rarely gives you time to be bored.