Today, an ECA delegation met with a group of leading members of the European Parliament Sports Group in Brussels. The meeting provided an opportunity to outline ECA’s vision for the months and years ahead, to share member clubs' position on a number of key topics currently at the top of the agenda for European football and to answer questions from parliamentarians on ECA’s role and work in driving progressive reform working hand in hand with UEFA, FIFA and the professional stakeholders in European and international club football.

The Sports Group helps to drive the work and positioning of the European Parliament on sports matters. As part of ECA’s ongoing engagement with key football stakeholders, an ECA Administration delegation led by CEO Charlie Marshall met with representatives including:

  • Tomasz Frankowski MEP, Poland - Co-Chair Sports Group
  • Ibán García del Blanco MEP, Spain – Co-Chair Sports Group
  • Tiziana Beghin MEP, Italy – Vice-Chair Sports Group
  • Sandro Gozi MEP, France
  • Alexis Georgoulis MEP, Greece

Discussions covered a variety of important topics including governance, competitions, financial sustainability and solidarity, women’s football, and the ongoing need to ensure future stability, sustainability and success of European club football. The meeting allowed for a constructive exchange of views and confirmed the importance of regular engagement between ECA and the EU institutions to ensure that the clubs' voice is being heard and understood by those in key positions to influence sports policy in the European Union.

ECA CEO Charlie Marshall said: 

“We welcome the opportunity to engage regularly with members of the European Parliament Sports Group. Today’s meeting was a productive and constructive exchange of ideas, and I believe that our discussions will help to inform the important work that both ECA and the Sports Group are doing to drive meaningful change for the benefit of clubs and the wider European football community. We look forward to building on these discussions through continued dialogue in the coming months.”