April 3, 2025- The 49th Ordinary UEFA Congress concluded in Belgrade, Serbia, on Thursday, with key elections taking place for positions on the UEFA Executive Committee and the FIFA Council. The congress also addressed financial matters, honored distinguished individuals for their contributions to European football, and confirmed the date for the next congress.
During the elections for the UEFA Executive Committee, seven candidates secured positions for a four-year term. Frank Paauw (Netherlands) led the vote with 49 votes, followed closely by Gabriele Gravina (Italy) and Hans-Joachim Watzke (Germany), both re-elected with 48 votes. Other elected members included Marijan Kustić (Croatia), Ari Lahti (Finland), Aivar Pohlak (Estonia), and Armen Melikbekyan (Armenia). Additionally, Rafael Louzán Abal (Spain) and Moshe Zuares (Israel) were elected for a two-year term. Lise Klaveness (Norway) was elected unopposed for the female member position on the UEFA Executive Committee, while Claudius Schäfer (Switzerland) was ratified as the European Leagues representative for a four-year term.
The FIFA Council elections saw the unopposed election of Pascale Van Damme (Belgium) as the female member for a four-year term. Additionally, Răzvan Burleanu (Romania), Georgios Koumas (Cyprus), Bernd Neuendorf (Germany), and Dejan Savićević (Montenegro) were re-elected as members of the FIFA Council.
Following the elections, the Constitutive UEFA Executive Committee meeting was held, where Gabriele Gravina was appointed First UEFA Vice-President, Hans-Joachim Watzke became the Second UEFA Vice-President, and Jesper Møller Christensen was named Third UEFA Vice-President. Sándor Csányi was also appointed UEFA Treasurer with the status of UEFA Vice-President.
In recognition of their exceptional contributions to European football, UEFA Honorary Membership was awarded to David Gill (England), Karl-Erik Nilsson (Sweden), and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany). The congress also approved the UEFA Annual Report 2023/24, the financial statements for 2023/24, and the budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
It was confirmed that the 50th Ordinary UEFA Congress will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on February 12, 2026. The congress in Belgrade marked an important milestone in European football governance, with key leadership roles assigned to guide UEFA into the future.
