UEFA Congress in Brussels: Honouring Belgium's place in the European game
Friday, February 6, 2026
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As the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) prepares to host the UEFA Congress in Brussels, it offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the country’s footballing heritage and its ever-present role within the European game.
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Belgium has been part of European football’s story from the outset. A founding member of UEFA, the country has played a consistent role in the organisation’s development since its earliest days, both on and off the pitch.
On the pitch, Belgium hosted UEFA EURO 1972 before recording their best-ever performance at the tournament eight years later, finishing as runners-up at EURO 1980.
In the modern era, the golden generation – a talented set of players which included Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois – took Belgium close to international success with a third-place finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The women’s national team have become regulars at UEFA Women’s EURO with appearances at the last three editions of the tournament, underlining the progress of the women’s game in the country.
Belgian clubs have also left a lasting mark on UEFA competitions. RSC Anderlecht enjoyed a sustained period of European success, lifting the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1976 and 1978 before adding the UEFA Cup in 1983, while KV Mechelen’s improbable triumph in the 1988 Cup Winners’ Cup remains one of the competition’s most standout moments.
More recently, OH Leuven have embarked on a historic run in this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League, becoming the first Belgian club to reach both the league and knockout stage.
Off the pitch, the RBFA has worked closely with UEFA to support the long-term development of football across the country, translating that shared history into investment, modern infrastructure and programmes designed to grow the game at every level.
This close cooperation will continue with the hosting of Congress, with RBFA president and FIFA Council member Pascale Van Damme set to address delegates in the Belgian capital.
The heart of Belgian football
When the presidents and general secretaries of UEFA's 55 national associations gather in Brussels this week, they will be just 25 kilometres from the RBFA's national training centre and headquarters in Tubize.
Designed as the central hub of Belgian football, the campus brings national teams, technical staff and key operational functions together in one location. Opened in 2016, the 13-hectare site features six football pitches, alongside dressing rooms and a range of performance facilities, including medical, physiotherapy and fitness areas.
On-site accommodation supports efficient preparation during international windows and multi-day training camps, allowing players and staff to work in an integrated environment.
The RBFA's headquarters, located on the same site, completes the campus approach. It houses offices for more than 230 employees, as well as conference rooms, an auditorium, press and media facilities, a VAR studio and a restaurant. Built around collaboration, the working environment is designed to keep departments closely connected and decision-making aligned with the national-team set-up.
Work to keep the site at the vanguard of football facilities is ongoing, with the RBFA’s next phase of improvements focused on quality, operational efficiency and sustainability.
Planned upgrades include converting the national team’s main training pitch to a hybrid surface with undersoil heating, expanding workspaces to accommodate a growing staff, improving site logistics, installing solar panels and extending the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The construction of these facilities and the forthcoming upgrades have all been supported through UEFA HatTrick, which redistributes more than half of the net revenue from the men's EURO to member associations for investment in football development projects.
A game for all
The impact of cooperation between the RBFA and UEFA extends well beyond elite infrastructure.
Working in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children, the RBFA supports a range of local initiatives across Belgium that use football as a tool for inclusion, education and community engagement.
One example is community‑driven club BX Brussels, where the BX Femina programme now brings together 120 female players, combining training and competition with personal development programmes.
Meanwhile, the Mbo Mpenza Challenge continues to expand its school-based programme, pairing tournaments with free educational resources and workshops that promote respect, diversity and inclusion.
Alongside these initiatives, the Belgian Red Courts programme has grown into a network of community pitches designed as safe and welcoming environments, with a particular focus on supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
As the UEFA Congress comes to Brussels, Belgium offers a clear example of how long-term cooperation between UEFA and a national association can translate into lasting impact.