Seven reasons to read UEFA’s review of an extraordinary European football season

Every UEFA annual report has a different story to tell, but the plot for the 2019/20 season was unprecedented. With a global pandemic temporarily halting Europe’s most popular sport 100 days before EURO 2020, this year’s narrative is richer than ever, with more pages, more data and more insights.

Here are seven reasons to start reading the report online or download your own copy.

1. ‘A reminder of our true purpose: to take care of football’

In a double-page interview, the UEFA president takes stock of lessons learned, explaining why solidarity was so important in helping the European football community overcome one of its toughest challenges.

2. The power of football

From local clubs to elite teams, European football demonstrated the power of the beautiful game to touch people’s lives: even in the hardest times.

3. Teamwork amid a pandemic

Eight interviews reveal how UEFA teams adapted their skills to make the impossible, possible: organising matches in countries with different lockdown rules, helping national associations access urgent financial assistance, rapidly renegotiating hundreds of commercial rights agreements, and creating a new medical protocol to minimise health risks at competitions.

4. Four weeks, four countries, four winners

After a four-month hiatus and in a matter of weeks, UEFA pulled off a logistical miracle by reorganising its club competitions as final eight tournaments in August.

5. Women on track to meet target

UEFA made positive progress in the first 12 months of its four-year strategy for women’s football, unveiling a new format for the Women’s Champions League and launching the Playmakers programme with Disney.

6. Building the beautiful game

UEFA’s HatTrick assistance programme, which channels EURO profits back in the game, is one of the largest solidarity initiatives in sport.

7. EURO 2020: a season of two halves

UEFA’s game management in a season split between ‘preparation’ and ‘hibernation’ laid the foundations for staging EURO 2020 one year later.