UEFA and OFC sign new Memorandum of Understanding 

The MoU cements the two organisations' strong relationship and will guide future collaboration that supports long-term football development projects throughout Europe and Oceania.

"Europe and Oceania are connected by a shared belief in the importance of investing in people as the foundation of football’s future," said UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin. "This Memorandum of Understanding brings together UEFA’s experience in elite development and education with OFC’s clear focus on nurturing young talent and strengthening football leadership. By supporting players and administrators alike, we aim to build sustainable pathways that enable the game to thrive around the world for generations to come."

OFC president Lambert Maltock added: "This agreement marks an important step forward for football in Oceania. Our partnership with UEFA reflects a shared commitment to developing the game at every level – from grassroots to elite. It creates meaningful opportunities for our players, coaches, referees and administrators to learn, grow and gain international exposure, while strengthening the systems and pathways that will shape the next generation of football in our region. By investing in our people and working collaboratively, we are building a more connected, capable, and globally competitive football ecosystem for Oceania."

Representatives of UEFA and OFC together in Vancouver, CanadaFIFA via Getty Images

The MoU follows UEFA agreements with fellow confederations – CAF (Africa), Concacaf (North, Central America and Caribbean) and CONMEBOL (South America) – with key areas of cooperation to include:

• Youth football development, with UEFA and OFC teaming up to support OFC’s boys’ and girls’ annual under-15 development tournaments, providing structured international exposure for emerging players, referees, coaches and support staff
• Football development initiatives, delivered through the UEFA Together programme, supporting tailored projects and partnerships between member national associations of both confederations
• Coach education, including the sharing of technical expertise and best practices, and joint learning activities to strengthen coaching capacity
• Referee development, with opportunities for match officials and referee instructors to take part in youth tournaments, courses and technical programmes organised by each confederation, as well as the participation of elite referees in each other’s competitions
• Knowledge exchange and professional development, including reciprocal observer programmes at club finals and national team tournaments, as well as participation in selected conferences and events
• Education and capacity building, with mutual access to relevant programmes, including selected UEFA Academy courses and the expansion of OFC’s education and management pathways
• Strategic dialogue and coordination, with regular high-level meetings and joint progress reporting to ensure alignment and effective implementation of the MoU

The agreement, which runs until 30 June 2031, reflects UEFA and OFC's mutual desire to work side by side to improve the game at all levels, while using its reach and influence to make a positive impact on our communities.