UEFA Football Board meets at the House of European Football.

On Monday, September 9, the UEFA Football Board met at the House of European Football to have in-depth conversations about a range of issues pertaining to the development, advancement, and future of women’s football in Europe. The program included important topics such as strategic planning, boosting the level of competition, promoting professional opportunities for athletes, coaches, and officials, and increasing player welfare in order to advance the sport.

The fourth UEFA Football Board meeting was chaired by UEFA deputy general secretary and director of football Giorgio Marchetti and managing director of women’s football Nadine Kessler, and attended by Verónica Boquete (Spain), Marissa Callaghan (Northern Ireland), Karen Carney (England), Daphné Corboz (France), Jovana Damnjanović (Serbia), Jonas Eidevall (Sweden), Laura Georges (France), Gemma Grainger (England), Pernille Harder (Denmark), Ada Hegerberg (Norway), Josephine Henning (Germany), Carolina Morace (Italy), Francisco Neto (Portugal), Lotta Schelin (Sweden) and Tessa Wullaert (Belgium).

The UEFA Women’s Football Strategy 2024–2030 was the first item on the agenda for discussion. Several of its components take into account input from the Board during their meeting in September of last year. The mission, objectives, and priorities of the plan were established. The Board appreciated the comprehensive strategy, which emphasized the need of growing women’s football in a sustainable manner and the necessity for football stakeholders to collaborate on shared goals regarding player welfare. The emphasis was on professionalizing female officials, growing the number of female coaches, and raising the bar for standards and competition among domestic leagues.

The Board conveyed its contentment with the recently implemented FIFA women’s national team competition system, which has successfully achieved its objectives of enhancing the competitiveness and significance of national team matches, as well as augmenting their commercial and sports appeal. UEFA announced its goals for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, which included high attendance goals and a pledge to offer players and teams first-rate services.

The Board was particularly happy with the new design of the second club tournament and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, which will both make their debuts the following season. These changes will increase the level of competition in the domestic competitions and serve as important catalysts for participation and growth.

The participants were given an update on the schedule of women’s international matches starting in 2026. They acknowledged the advancements and emphasized the ongoing significance of striking a balance between player effort and the advancement of the sport. They also emphasized the need to keep enhancing support systems in order to guarantee the athletes’ emotional and physical health.

The meeting’s last topics covered player health and medical,, with an emphasis on the careful measures being taken by UEFA to research and gain a better understanding of menstrual health tracking and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention in order to disseminate the information to the larger football community. The difficulties football players encounter after retiring from the game were also discussed.

Nadine Kessler, UEFA managing director of women’s football, said: “Today’s meeting was a fantastic continuation of the progress we began last year, filled with open and positive dialogue that reflects the very nature of women’s football. Many important topics have been on the table, and the board members’ expertise and insights have been vital to ensuring that we travel in the right direction and set the stage for even greater successes ahead. Thank you to all the players and coaches.”

Ada Hegerberg, Olympique Lyonnais, and Norway forward said: “Players are, and will always be, at the very centre of the game. Women’s football is at a pivotal stage, and it is crucial that our voices are heard in shaping the future. We’re committed to pushing for more opportunities, better conditions and ensuring that the next generation has the resources and support they deserve. Together, with the right platform and the right support, we can continue driving the sport forward in a safe and sustainable way.”

Jonas Eidevall, Arsenal Women FC manager, said: “It’s an incredible honour to contribute to shaping the future of women’s football alongside such a prestigious group of key leaders and advocates in women’s football through the UEFA Football Board. As a coach, I see firsthand the progress we’ve made, but also the work that still needs to be done to grow the game globally. The Board is an opportunity to bring the players’ and coaches’ perspectives into the conversation, ensuring that decisions we make today lay the foundation for future generations of women footballers. It’s about creating pathways, expanding opportunities, and continuing to break barriers for the sport we love.”

Tessa Wullaert, F.C. Internazionale Milano and Belgium forward, said: “We touched on a lot of important subjects. I am really looking forward to the new UEFA Women’s Champions League format and the second competition that is coming next season. It is good that more clubs will have the opportunity to participate in Europe. And it is good that we discussed life after football, which is often a forgotten subject. It is important for me to be here to get insight into the state of our sport and ask questions not only for myself but on behalf of my national team and club. I feel really honoured to be here and to be part of this.”

About UEFA
UEFA is the governing body of European football and a not-for-profit organization that supports and ensures the world’s most popular sport continues to thrive at all levels across its 55 member associations. As part of its commitment, UEFA invests 97% of its revenue in football-related activities, projects, and initiatives that ensure the continued development of the men’s and women’s professional game as well as youth, grassroots, and futsal.

Source: UEFA

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