At their 33rd General Assembly in Copenhagen, the European Football Clubs (EFC) set an important course for their future development. The EFC membership currently comprises 920 clubs from European men’s and women’s football – more than 100 clubs joined last year alone. As a result, the EFC now represent the diversity of European men’s and women’s club football more broadly than ever before.
This strong growth is also set to be reflected in the organisation’s structures going forward. The General Assembly has therefore approved governance reforms designed to broaden opportunities for representation and strengthen participation within the EFC. At the same time, the aim is to ensure that decisions can continue to be taken efficiently in the future.
FC Bayern Munich CEO and EFC Executive Committee vice-chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen: “The fact that the EFC has grown by 100 clubs within a year is a striking demonstration of just how great the need is for a strong body to represent the clubs’ interests. The reforms that have been agreed lay the foundations for every club within the EFC to be heard and to participate fairly in decision-making processes. At the same time, however, we must remain able to act in our decision-making in order to effectively represent the interests of club football.”
Revised transfer regulations
Furthermore, at the General Assembly, the EFC once again emphasised the importance of transparent communication with FIFA – particularly regarding new developments and changes affecting clubs and club competitions. The revised regulations governing the transfer system demonstrate that dialogue of this kind can contribute to success for all parties involved.
Dreesen: “Our aim was clear: following the Diarra case, we needed greater legal certainty, contractual stability and better protection for clubs that invest in the development of young players. We must protect the ecosystem of our footballing world and are pleased that, in collaboration with FIFPRO, FIFA and UEFA, a sound solution has been found.”
The EFC will support their members in implementing the new regulations by organising workshops and providing relevant guidelines.
Topics of this article