Czech UEFA CFM edition

UEFA's Certificate in Football Management (UEFA CFM) education programme continues to train people working in football across Europe, with the latest national edition taking place in the Czech Republic.

Twenty-five participants graduated, including staff members of the Football Association of the Czech Republic (FAČR), its daughter marketing company STES, representatives of several Czech clubs – Slavia Praha, Viktoria Plzeň, Jablonec, Sigma Olomouc, Sparta Praha, MAS Táborsko and Dukla Praha – and the Liberec regional association.

The European flavour of the UEFA CFM programme was emphasised again through the participation of guests from the national associations of Austria, Hungary, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine. Event management was the focal point of the Czech seminar, including marketing aspects and organisation of UEFA Champions League matches.

A total of 464 people are now graduates of the UEFA CFM programme, enhancing their professional expertise and learning about various aspects of football. The nine-month programme comprises six interactive online modules and three face-to-face seminars. Key topics are football organisation, strategy and strategic management, operational management, marketing and sponsorship, communications, media and public relations, and event management.

Certificates are awarded by the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration (IDHEAP) at the University of Lausanne. The UEFA CFM academic content is compiled by academics from universities in France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

UEFA education and universities manager Thomas Junod urged the graduates to use their newly acquired skills in an effective manner. "Football is a team sport, and management is a team process," he explained. "UEFA wants you to contribute towards developing the game. You are now responsible not only for putting your expertise into practice, but also for sharing your ideas and knowledge with your working colleagues."