Čeferin to Stand for Unprecedented Fourth Term as UEFA President in 2027

Aleksander Čeferin will seek an unprecedented fourth term as UEFA president, telling the heads of Europe's 55 national associations at a meeting in Berlin on Thursday that he intends to stand for re-election at next year's congress in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Slovenian's announcement reverses his earlier decision to step away when his current term ends in 2027 and sets up a 2027 election that would extend his presidency through 2031.

Unanimous backing in Berlin

Addressing the presidents and general secretaries of all 55 member associations, Čeferin said he had accepted their request to continue. "I want to thank the national associations for their trust," he said in a statement. "We have faced extraordinary challenges over the past years, and we have faced them as one team. There is still important work ahead, and I have therefore accepted their request. My ambition remains the same: to keep European football united, make our game stronger and leave UEFA ready for the next generation."

According to UEFA, the associations had "unanimously" asked Čeferin to reconsider his earlier intention not to seek re-election, a campaign of persuasion that played out over recent months. He also thanked his family, saying the decision "asks a great deal of them too."

A reversal two years in the making

Čeferin, 58, has led European football's governing body since 2016, when he succeeded Michel Platini, who resigned after the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned him from football-related activities in a FIFA corruption case. For most of this decade, the end date seemed settled: after term-limit changes were pushed through UEFA's statutes at the 2024 Congress in Paris — controversial changes opposed by the Football Association — Čeferin said he had already decided to step aside in 2027, explaining he had made up his mind half a year earlier.

Now he will ask delegates at the 51st UEFA Ordinary Congress in Astana, on 22 April 2027, to keep him in office for a final four-year term. If elected, his presidency would stretch to fifteen years.

The Infantino backdrop

The Berlin meeting was about more than Čeferin's own future. As ESPN reported, the gathering also focused on UEFA's increasingly open confrontation with FIFA's leadership under Gianni Infantino. Čeferin has been one of Infantino's sharpest critics since it emerged in July that the FIFA president was working on a plan to seek private investment in a company to manage the commercial interests of FIFA's tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups.

UEFA's statement on Thursday said the national associations — all except Azerbaijan's — agreed on a clear direction for FIFA reform, with the associations reiterating that they had "lost confidence in the current FIFA leadership." Among the reform proposals supported in Berlin: that the FIFA president "leads, not manages."

Notably, Čeferin has already ruled himself out of standing for the FIFA presidency against Infantino. His decision to stay at UEFA instead brings continuity — and a steady, adversarial hand — to a fight that has dominated European football politics this year. It follows last month's emergency UEFA summit in Berlin, where Europe's football leaders gathered to shape a strategy against Infantino, as well as the fallout from UEFA's dossier on Barcelona's Negreira payments case and Norway's formal complaints against Infantino.

What comes next

With the Astana congress more than six months away, Čeferin's fourth term is not yet a formality — but the unanimous backing of the associations makes him an overwhelming favourite. The bigger question is what he does with the mandate: whether the reform agenda endorsed in Berlin becomes a genuine programme to reshape FIFA's governance, or a pressure campaign whose main target is a single man in Zurich.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the next UEFA presidential election?

The 51st UEFA Ordinary Congress will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 22 April 2027. Aleksander Čeferin will stand for a fourth and final four-year term, which would run through 2031.

Why did Čeferin change his mind about stepping down?

He had said after the 2024 Paris Congress that he intended to leave in 2027, but UEFA said all 55 national associations "unanimously" asked him to reconsider over recent months. He cited "important work ahead" and the goal of keeping European football united.

How is he able to stand for a fourth term?

Controversial changes to presidential term limits were voted through UEFA's statutes at its 2024 Congress in Paris, making a fourth term possible. The Football Association opposed the changes.

What did the Berlin meeting say about FIFA?

The national associations — all except Azerbaijan — agreed on a direction for FIFA reform, reiterating they had "lost confidence in the current FIFA leadership" and proposing that the FIFA president "leads, not manages."

Is Čeferin running for FIFA president instead?

No. He has already ruled himself out of standing for the FIFA presidency against Gianni Infantino. He will seek re-election at UEFA rather than challenging Infantino directly.

How long has Čeferin been UEFA president?

Since 2016, when he succeeded Michel Platini. A fourth term would extend his presidency to fifteen years, ending in 2031.