UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Key issues on UEFA's agenda

The UEFA President, Michel Platini, has raised key issues on UEFA's 2014/15 agenda, including financial fair play, UEFA EUROs 2016 and 2020, and the fight against racism in football.

UEFA President Michel Platini during his press conference in Monaco
UEFA President Michel Platini during his press conference in Monaco ©UEFA

Financial Fair Play, UEFA EURO 2016 and UEFA EURO 2020, the fight against racism, the UEFA children's foundation … just some of the topics that the UEFA President, Michel Platini, has identified as key activities for European football's governing body in the 2014/15 season.

In Monaco on Thursday, Mr Platini spoke at length about various issues that are high on UEFA's agenda, in addition to his intention to stand for a third term as UEFA President from 2015. The UEFA President briefed the 54 European national associations on the season ahead during an hour-long meeting in the Mediterranean principality.

Mr Platini began with financial fair play and UEFA's measures to safeguard the financial stability of European club football – "a complicated, delicate subject but one that stirs up passions and is incredibly important for the future of our sport," he said.

"In this area," he went on, "UEFA has once again shown that it does not shirk its responsibilities, and that the system works. What I care about are the overriding interests of football. Since the financial fair play system was put in place, the cumulative losses of Europe's professional clubs have dropped from €1.7bn to €800m. That is less than half what they were."

"This proves that we are on the right track and that we are moving from a vicious circle to a virtuous one in terms of the management models of most European clubs. The clubs are playing the game, and I would like to thank the ECA and its chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, for their support on this project."

Mr Platini said he was eagerly awaiting the start of the UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers early next month. "This is the first time we have had centralised qualifying matches in Europe, and I am convinced they will be a great success and that the teams of Europe will provide some unforgettable moments," he reflected.

"With this centralisation and the creation of the 'week of football' concept, which will enable fans to watch a maximum number of matches live, we are making national team football that bit more professional, and we hope to give it a level of exposure and recognition that is at least comparable to that of the Champions League. It deserves it."

On 19 September, the 13 host cities for matches at UEFA EURO 2020 will be announced – starting the countdown to a genuinely innovative tournament which will have a significant impact across Europe – "a revolutionary EURO, a EURO for Europe," the UEFA President confirmed, "which will enable us to involve and rally the whole continent around a unique, unifying project."

"At a time when questions are being asked about the legacy of mega-events, this will be a 'responsible' EURO, as it will not require major investments from governments or taxpayers. One national stadium per country will be enough to be a part of this great celebration of European football. We will have no more of the white elephants seen in the past. This too is a really great project."

The fight to eliminate racism and all forms of discrimination from football is gathering pace, and UEFA remains at the vanguard of the campaign. "[Football] should unify and bring people together," Mr Platini stated. "It should convey values of tolerance, unity and integration. That is why the fight against racism will be at the heart of our activities again this season. UEFA's disciplinary bodies are independent and they know that they have carte blanche from the executive to enforce our regulations to the letter in order to combat all forms of discrimination."

"We are holding a big conference shortly, on 10 and 11 September, on this topic and I encourage you all to cover it. It will be in Rome and I will be there to reiterate, with force and conviction, that football has to set an example in promoting and respecting diversity."

A UEFA children's foundation will be launched in the coming weeks. The UEFA President said the project would support child protection initiatives around the world. "This is a project very close to my heart," he said, "because I firmly believe that football has a moral duty towards young people and that we must do more and better in this regard. We will give the foundation the means to match our ambitions."

Mr Platini said UEFA would also continue to assume its responsibilities with regard to unexpected and politically highly sensitive situations, referring to last week's decision of the UEFA Emergency Panel that European football's governing body would not recognise any football matches played by clubs in the Crimean region organised under the auspices of the Russian Football Union.

"All I wanted to do here was to thank the national associations of the two countries concerned [Russia and Ukraine], because in this extremely difficult context, they have opened the door to dialogue so that a solution can be found soon," Mr Platini concluded, announcing that UEFA would host a meeting between all the parties in Nyon on 18 September.

Mr Platini was categoric about his decision to commit his future to UEFA and end speculation about him standing for the FIFA presidency next year. "Of course we all want a FIFA that functions better, that is more transparent, that shows more solidarity, and that football fans hold in higher esteem," he said. "I will do everything I can, at my level, to contribute to this. But what interests me right now is UEFA and only UEFA."

Selected for you