- Meeting included review of 2024/25 European club competitions, including positive impact of new formats.
- High-level talks with FIFA and Confederation leaders set the stage for inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup.
European Club Association (ECA) concluded a meeting on Friday of its Executive Committee (ExCo) in Miami, FL, the day before the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup USA 2025.
The meeting brought together senior leaders from across ECA’s membership to reflect on the close of the 2024/25 European club season, assess key developments in the international football landscape and discuss priority issues for the organisation and its 770+ member clubs ahead of a historic summer for the global game.
New Formats, Inaugural Club Competitions and Broadcast Breakthroughs
The discussion included a detailed update on the positive impact of new competition formats which debuted in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League last season.
The new League Phases included more participating clubs, with 15 new clubs competing and 144 unique matches, with a much greater variety of opponents than ever before. There was increased competition on the pitch – with more goals scored, on average every 90 seconds, and 3 goals per game – and in turn, delivered very strong audience figures. The Champions League delivered +12% viewership and the Europa League and Conference League delivered +71% viewership across both competitions.
The ExCo discussed in particular the continued growth and success of the UEFA Conference League, which provides competitive opportunities for more ECA member clubs, and the upcoming 2025/26 women’s club season, which will include a new UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) format and the eagerly anticipated introduction of the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup.
An update was provided on the continued growth of ECA’s membership, with Cardiff City Women recently announced as ECA’s 750th member club.
Also covered were recent outcomes from UC3 — the joint venture between ECA and UEFA, which manages the commercial rights to the UEFA club competitions – and the positive progress made for both men’s and women’s competitions for the next cycles. Notably, the exciting new UWCL media partnerships were highlighted, which included a pan-European distribution agreement with Disney+, supported by a strong free-to-air network of broadcasters, and an exclusive U.S rights deal with CBS/Paramount.
The ExCo also reviewed progress across its men’s football, women’s football and youth football workstreams, including how ECA and its clubs are engaging in UEFA’s Player Load Study and pending ECA research being undertaken on the transition from academies to first teams.
Also discussed were strategic future projects, including a proposal to increase ECA’s ability to deliver for its members and engage with local stakeholders through the opening of regional hub s over the next two years.
ECA, FIFA, Football Stakeholders Meet to Discuss FIFA Club World Cup
Following the ExCo meeting, ECA and FIFA co-hosted a high-level gathering with key global stakeholders, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez, FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger and representatives from Confederations and all 11 ECA Member Clubs that will participate in the tournament.
The meeting provided a platform to align on joint venture objectives and ensure the best possible delivery of the inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup. As part of the discussions, FIFA presented an overview of the competition, outlining key aspects of the tournament format, operational planning and broader ambitions for the event. ECA have collaborated closely with FIFA to deliver benefits for all clubs from the tournament, including an anticipated $250 million of solidarity funds for teams that are not participating in the competition.
The presence and contributions of football leaders from several regions underscored the global significance of the tournament, while the discussions reaffirmed ECA’s commitment to constructive collaboration at international level and to ensuring the FIFA Club World Cup delivers tangible benefits for clubs, players and fans across all continents.
Commenting on the meetings, ECA Chairman, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, said: “ECA is delighted to be in Miami this week, bringing together senior leaders from club and international football and supporting the new FIFA Club World Cup. We are long-standing partners of FIFA and, together, we are committed to driving forward a strategy that will support the growth of men’s and women’s club football globally.
“ECA has been supportive of this tournament from the beginning. We believe that the FIFA Club World Cup will become a landmark competition, and can deliver real benefits for all clubs, with an expected $250 million in solidarity for non-participating clubs. We wish President Infantino and his administration every success in the delivery of this first edition here in the United States.
“We are proud to work alongside our participating member clubs to help shape this tournament’s success and to ensuring that built-in solidarity commitments will benefit clubs across Europe and all regions to support the ongoing development of our sport.”
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, added: "I was delighted to address the European Club Association and their Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi on the eve of the kick-off of the historic FIFA Club World Cup.
"We signed the Memorandum of Understanding with ECA in 2023 until 2030, and it has brought stability to the game as we have been striking a balance between club and national team football all over the world.
"As with the FIFA World Cup for national teams in Uruguay in 1930, this is a landmark tournament for club football, with so many players, teams and countries ready to shine on the global stage. It’s historic, and together, we made this incredible FIFA Club World Cup happen."
ECA and FIFA signed a long-term Memorandum of Understanding in 2023, which includes a commitment to collaborate on the development of the FIFA Club World Cup, the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup and the ongoing growth of global club football.
As the sole body recognised by both FIFA and UEFA to represent European clubs internationally, ECA remains committed to working with key stakeholders to protect and shape the game’s long-term future.