The morning of the UEFA Champions League final on 10 June will see ECA’s Executive Board come together in Istanbul for one of last meetings of the current membership cycle.
Under the Chairmanship of Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, ECA Executive Board Members will reflect on a year of evolution and key moments for ECA after clubs voted unanimously in March 2023 to increase representation and reach.
2023-27 Cycle
The Executive Board, which currently has up to 30 participants including independents and observers representing the diversity of European club football, will look towards its new four-year cycle starting next season, preparing for the elections and appointments to the Executive Board, the newly-created Executive Committee, and the various Committees, Task Forces and Working Groups in September.
Stakeholder Landscape
As well as internal governance matters, and reports on ECA administrative and financial developments, members will hear more on the Stakeholder Landscape, including updates on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Club Benefits Programme and international football policy matters at large. ECA recently signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with FIFA to cover the period up to 2030 which included an increase in the Club Benefits Programme from $209 million to $355 million for the 2026 and 2030 tournaments.
Women’s Game
Reflecting the growing importance of the women’s game, members will receive an update on the recent framework, led by ECA and FIFA and involving all stakeholders, on the issue of player release for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023.
Women's football is taking an increasingly prominent role within ECA under the Be a Changemaker strategy and the new cycle will see the top 40 women's clubs guaranteed ordinary membership with two directly elected board members.
UEFA Club Competitions
UEFA Club Competitions will form a key element of the Executive Board’s deliberations. Members will be updated on the ongoing discussions on the men’s post-2024 distribution being conducted with UEFA as well as various other commercial and sporting matters.
Agreement with UNHCR
Ahead of the Board meeting, ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi will sign an agreement with Cédric Anker and Cristina Davies, President and Executive Director of Switzerland for UNHCR Foundation respectively, formalising the donation of €500,000 to the UNHCR announced in March this year.
In addition, ECA is supporting the UNHCR via an online auction running from 3-17 June of signed match shirts worn or provided by club representatives at the recent General Assembly in Budapest.
About ECA
ECA is the sole independent body directly representing football clubs at European level with a growing membership base of hundreds of professional football clubs from across the continent. In addition, the ECA Network is available to provide advisory and engagement services to hundreds more clubs.
As the representative voice of European club football on the international football landscape, ECA works closely with football’s governing bodies, competition organisers and other professional stakeholders to place the clubs at the ‘Heart of Football’.