The second edition of the UEC's annual conference also addressed the need for new regulation
15th October 2024 – Today in Brussels, the Union of European Clubs (UEC) organised the second edition of the European Professional Football Forum that took place with representatives of 120 clubs and stakeholders from 26 different countries in attendance. The forum reinforced the UEC's commitment to reshaping the football ecosystem and collaborating with governing bodies and stakeholders for comprehensive reforms.
After a few welcoming words, Alex Muzio, UEC and Union Saint-Gilloise President, stressed the need for better regulation across football, citing the inadequacy of current governance frameworks for the modern game. He stated the relevance of the UEC as a key stakeholder among European football landscape: “Regulation across football was not designed for the current football industry, in which the UEC is needed. There is a siren call for better regulation across all football, as football is misusing the power it’s been given.”
The event was kicked off by the Director for Culture, Creativity and Sport in the European Commission, Georg Häusler, who delivered the opening address. He advocated for a balanced and sustainable football ecosystem, emphasising the importance of collective governance with all stakeholders actively involved. Mr. Häusler highlighted: “The football ecosystem is not totally balanced and that should be sustainable, economically, and should be decided on merits. One thing is clear, that football needs a fairer governance system. Certain recent cases are wake up calls for governance and the system cannot act on its own.”
In the context of the topic of financial sustainability Sabrina Buljubašić, HNK Šibenik Executive Director, James Bemment, Norwich City FC Head of Strategy, Rebecca Nuttall, Haverfordwest County AFC COO and Maksims Krivunecs, Latvian Virsliga President, highlighted the need for harmonised financial regulations to promote stability, sustainability, and competitive balance across European football. Discussions focused on the distribution of solidarity, emphasising that solidarity payments should support clubs involved in player development, particularly smaller and medium-sized clubs. The UEC's role was recognised as crucial in advocating for these changes and ensuring that clubs have a voice in the governance of the game.
William Martucci, Director of Operations at the UEC introduced the second panel with a presentation on the current state of the decision-making processes in European club football, arguing that the European Club Association (ECA) has not made any significant changes to its governance model despite numerous announcements since the launch of the UEC 18 months ago. The number of clubs with actual voting rights has remained stable over the last 15 years, and 33 ECA members elect half of the organisation’s Board, effectively holding as much power as the other 667 members.
The second panel focused on the needs of fighting for a democratic and inclusive football, linked to the current situation beyond the Super League ruling. Miguel Maduro, Dean of Católica Global School of Law, Matteo Zacchetti, European Commission Policy Officer and Alberto Colombo, European Leagues’ Deputy General Secretary, discussed the implications of recent legal rulings, like the Super League case, and the need for democratic reforms in football governance.
Miguel Maduro explained that “it is time for the European Commission to do an introspection because time and time again, the judgements of the court established that the approach taken by the Commission in the sports area is not compliant with EU law. How many more rulings are necessary for the Commission to be active in this area?”
The conversation underscored the importance of inclusive decision-making, where all clubs—big or small—should have a say in shaping the rules and highlighted ongoing legal challenges against football's governing bodies for monopolistic practices, stressing the need to protect the European sports model and ensure that governance is non-discriminatory, transparent and representative.
The third panel, which focused on the impact of an overloaded football calendar, particularly concerning player welfare, financial sustainability, and fan engagement had Zoe Johnson, Brighton & Hove Albion Managing Director Women’s & Girls, Alexander Bielefeld, FIFPRO Global Policy & Strategic Relations Director and Jerome Perlemuter, World Leagues Association General Secretary. The speakers discussed the widespread concern about the lack of transparency in decision-making regarding the FIFA Club World Cup, international calendar, specifically unilateral decisions by FIFA that will affect domestic competitions. Also, they advocated for a balanced approach to reaching agreement, suggesting fewer international breaks and more emphasis on domestic leagues to avoid player fatigue and ensure the viability of local competitions.
The event was concluded by Javier Tebas, the President of LALIGA, who urged the football community to recognise the urgent challenges facing the sport and to take decisive action. Mr. Tebas has called for genuine negotiation rather than mere dialogue, emphasising the need to overhaul the governance system to prevent conflicts of interest and concluded by stressing the importance of taking proactive steps to ensure fair governance, and to work with organisations like FIFPRO and UEC to continue advocating for reforms.
