It’s been a busy and productive June for ECA with the launch of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup, key educational milestones with ECA Campus and an insightful academy visit at Swedish club Malmö FF.
Making an Impact at the FIFA Club World Cup
The month started with ECA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting in Miami ahead of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup. The meeting brought together senior football leaders to reflect on a landmark season for European clubs and discuss key strategic priorities. The meeting reviewed the success of the new UEFA club competition formats, which saw more clubs competing, record-breaking audience figures and enhanced competitive balance.
ECA also highlighted the continued growth of its membership and ongoing developments in the women’s game, including the launch of new formats and major media deals such as the UEFA Women’s Champions League partnership with Disney+ and CBS/Paramount.
Following the ExCo meeting, ECA and FIFA co-hosted a high-level summit with global football stakeholders including including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez and FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger to align on the vision for the 32-team FIFA Club World Cup. ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi underlined the importance of the competition, stating: “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.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino echoed this sentiment, adding: “This is a landmark tournament for club football... It’s historic, and together, we made this incredible FIFA Club World Cup happen.”
The meetings reaffirmed ECA’s commitment to constructive global collaboration and to ensuring that clubs across all regions benefit from the game’s continued growth.
Malmö FF Academy Visit
ECA’s Youth Football team hosted an Academy Visit in collaboration with Malmö FF, where youth and technical leaders from clubs across Europe explored one of the continent’s most respected development systems.
Recognised as Sweden’s top boys’ academy for seven consecutive years and newly benchmarked for its growing girls’ section, Malmö FF showcased how a values-driven, structured approach to youth development can yield long-term success.
With strong school partnerships, high coaching standards, and a clear pathway to the first team, the visit offered valuable insights into how continuity, community investment and a unified philosophy can create both top-level players and well-rounded individuals.
ECA Play a Key Role at the Brussels “Future of Football” Event
June also saw ECA took part in “The Future of Football” event at the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by MEP Carolina Morace. During a roundtable featuring club and institutional voices, ECA’s Head of Sustainability, Gaia Pretner, highlighted the vital role of sustainability as a driver of innovation, purposeful partnerships and environmental responsibility within club strategy.
Gaia also underlined the importance of social inclusion as a UEFA licensing requirement. The discussion reinforced ECA’s commitment to gender equality through initiatives such as the Women on Board Programme, as part of wider efforts to ensure football’s future is inclusive, sustainable and shaped by clubs of all sizes.
A Month to Remember for ECA Campus
June marked an important month for ECA Campus, which is the hub for all ECA education and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Designed to support club excellence and professionalisation across Europe. Built on the pillars of Knowledge, Education and Impact, ECA Campus offers practical, club-focused learning and unparalleled networking opportunities tailored to the real-world needs of football professionals.
The third edition of the Club Talent & Mentoring Programme (CTMP) took place in Portugal, where ambitious club professionals engaged in a week of leadership development and strategic learning. Led by the Nova School of Business and Economics and supported by senior figures from across the European game, the programme offered vital insights into effective leadership in today’s football landscape.
Further underlining its commitment to inclusive leadership, ECA Campus launched the second edition of the Women on Board Programme in collaboration with Women in Football. Tailored for women in senior executive roles at ECA Member Clubs, the initiative provides bespoke development, expert mentoring and a powerful peer network to help participants step confidently into board-level positions. It reflects ECA’s broader ambition to ensure that the future of club football is both diverse and representative.
In Frankfurt, the second module of the ECA Club Management Programme (CMP) explored how sporting strategy can be better aligned with wider club objectives. Featuring leading Bundesliga sides such as Eintracht Frankfurt, TSG Hoffenheim and 1. FC Köln, the module showcased innovative approaches to talent development, data usage and long-term planning across the men’s and women’s game.
You can find out more about the full range of courses ECA Campus offers here.
Finance Working Group meets in Valencia
In addition, ECA’s Finance Working Group convened at Valencia CF’s iconic Estadio Mestalla, alongside representatives from UEFA and FIFA, to tackle key financial and regulatory issues impacting European clubs.
The meeting featured a preview of UEFA’s new revenue forecasting tool, co-developed with ECA, to aid clubs in planning for UEFA Club Competitions income, as well as updates on the €308m distributed through the UEFA Solidarity Mechanism and improvements to Club Benefits Programme.
With discussions ranging from financial sustainability regulations and player valuations, the group reinforced its commitment to supporting clubs through greater clarity, collaboration and strategic financial planning.
ECA Secures Record €9m Club Benefits for Women’s EURO 2025
A busy month concluded as ECA reached a key milestone in its support for women’s football with the announcement of a record €9 million Club Benefits Programme for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 – double the amount paid out in 2022.
The increase follows ECA’s successful proposal to ensure clubs are fairly compensated for releasing players for national team duty, recognising the vital role clubs play in developing elite talent. This landmark agreement with UEFA highlights the growing importance of aligning club and national team interests to drive the women’s game forward.