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Czech FA stresses key objectives for the future

Petr Fousek, president of the Football Association of the Czech Republic (FAČR), has emphasised his association’s ambition to play a substantial future role not only in UEFA’s activities, but also within European football.

Czech Republic forward Patrik Schick celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Belarus
Czech Republic forward Patrik Schick celebrates with team-mates after scoring against Belarus AFP via Getty Images

In a wide-ranging meeting with UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin in Prague, Mr Fousek underlined the Czech Republic’s particular wish to continue staging future major European football events and occasions.

The Czech capital hosted the 2013 UEFA Super Cup match between Bayern Munich and Chelsea, heralding UEFA’s new strategy to take its showpiece start-of-season club event featuring the respective UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League title-holders around Europe’s various national associations.

Prague hosted the UEFA Super Cup between Bayern and Chelsea in 2013
Prague hosted the UEFA Super Cup between Bayern and Chelsea in 2013Getty Images

The Czech Republic has also been successful hosts of UEFA tournaments – including the 2015 European Under-21 Championship final tournament – and, this summer, the country will welcome the UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship finals.

A key on-field challenge that the Czech association has set is to ensure that the country’s football returns to its historical position of prominence in the coming years by competing and succeeding in major tournaments. The FAČR also hopes to contribute as an inspirational role model in developing young players in particular, and in the development of Czech sport as a whole.

"It is in my interest as the president of the [FAČR] to continue to maintain intensive contact with UEFA," said Mr Fousek. "That is why we discussed the involvement of the FAČR in UEFA activities – we wanted to make full use of the time set aside for visiting Prague."

Petr Fousek with Aleksander Čeferin
Petr Fousek with Aleksander Čeferin

Also on the agenda was a tour of the FAČR premises, including the association’s Hall of Fame, as well as talks on developing the game at all levels, including plans for a top-level training centre for the Czech national teams.

 

"Czech football is very successful, and the local association does an excellent job," President Čeferin told Mr Fousek. "We can work to introduce an even better infrastructure and a top training centre. Your national teams deserve that.

“UEFA is here to help the FAČR and other associations in these matters, and we will try to improve and move on in this regard. I wish you to be at least as successful as you have been so far."

Developing football in the Czech Republic