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Overview
The UEFA Congress brings together the presidents and general secretaries of UEFA's 55 member associations to make decisions that help shape European football.
The one-day meeting is chaired by the sitting UEFA President. Participants discuss and vote on decisions, measures and proposals from both UEFA and member associations.
Within the last decade, Congress has passed resolutions tackling match-fixing and corruption in football (2014) and emphasising European football's commitment to combating racism (2013), as well as welcoming Gibraltar (2013) and Kosovo (2016) as new member associations. In 2019, the Congress approved UEFA's current overall strategy, which will guide the development and governance of the game across the continent until 2024; and UEFA's football sustainability strategy got the go-ahead at the 2022 meeting.
Congress
The UEFA Congress is held every year. A second may be called by the UEFA Executive Committee to deal with financial matters and/or matters of particular significance.
Matters within its power include:
- receipt and consideration of the UEFA Annual Report
- acknowledgement of the financial report and the auditors' report, approval of the annual accounts and budget
- election of the UEFA President
- election of UEFA Executive Committee members, and ratification of the Executive Committee members elected by the European Club Association (ECA) and European Leagues.
- election of the European members of the FIFA Council
- election of the auditing body
- amendment of the UEFA Statutes
- consideration and taking of decisions on proposals
- consideration of membership applications and the exclusion of a member association
- decisions on the lifting or continuation of the suspension of a member association, UEFA Executive Committee member or a member of another body
- consideration of proposals for the dismissal of a UEFA Executive Committee member or the UEFA organs for the administration of justice
- receipt and consideration of the FIFA Congress agenda
- receipt and consideration of the minutes of the previous UEFA Congress
- bestowal of honorary membership
Extraordinary Congress
An Extraordinary Congress may be convened by the UEFA Executive Committee, or at the written request of one fifth or more of the UEFA member associations, stating the items to be placed on the agenda.
Next Congress
The 47th UEFA Congress took place in Lisbon, Portugal on 5 April 2023. The 2024 UEFA Congress will be held on 8 February in Paris.
Reports
Honorary members
UEFA may, on the proposal of the UEFA Executive Committee, bestow the status of honorary president or honorary membership upon a person for especially meritorious services to European football.
Honorary presidents may attend the UEFA Congress and UEFA Executive Committee meetings in an advisory capacity, but have no vote. Honorary members may attend the UEFA Congress in an advisory capacity, but have no vote.
UEFA honorary members
Gerhard Aigner (GER)
Hans Bangerter (SUI) †
Egidius Braun (GER) †
Des Casey (IRL) †
Şenes Erzik (TUR)
Vyacheslav Koloskov (RUS)
Marios N. Lefkaritis (CYP)
Antonio Matarrese (ITA)
Joseph Mifsud (MLT)
Per Ravn Omdal (NOR)
Giangiorgio Spiess (SUI)
Grigoriy Surkis (UKR)
Geoffrey Thompson (ENG)
Michael van Praag (NED)