Čeferin announces candidacy for a final term as UEFA president

Aleksander Čeferin announced his intention to run for a final term as president of UEFA, reversing his earlier decision to leave the post at the end of his current mandate. During a meeting in Berlin, Čeferin told the presidents and general secretaries of UEFA's national member associations that he will contest the elections scheduled in Astana, Kazakhstan, on April 22. He explained that his decision came in response to a request from the national associations, noting that the past period saw exceptional challenges and that important work remains to be done. The announcement comes amid growing European pressure for change at FIFA, weakening the likelihood of Čeferin moving to compete for the FIFA presidency against Gianni Infantino. UEFA announced that 54 of 55 national associations backed FIFA reform proposals, with Azerbaijan the exception, stressing that the crisis concerns not only decision-making mechanisms but also trust in the current leadership.