Aleksander Ceferin announced his UEFA reelection bid at a high-level meeting in Berlin, ending any lingering speculation about whether the Slovenian would step aside after nearly a decade in charge. He won't. And the way things stand, nobody is queuing up to make him.
The vote takes place at the UEFA Congress on April 22 in Astana, Kazakhstan. There is currently no opposing candidate, and given Ceferin's standing within European football, finding a credible one before then seems unlikely. This is a coronation with a calendar date attached.
The U-turn nobody is pretending didn't happen
Two and a half years ago, Ceferin said publicly he was "tired" and that UEFA needed "fresh blood." Strong words. He reversed course internally soon after and has now made it official. Whether you read that as pragmatism or self-interest probably depends on your view of how UEFA has been run under his watch.
The path back to the ballot also required a quiet but significant rule change. UEFA's bylaws cap presidential tenure at twelve years. However, a 2024 amendment ruled that Ceferin's first partial term — taken over from the suspended Michel Platini — would not count toward that limit. Without that tweak, this candidacy wouldn't be possible. With it, Ceferin is clear to serve through to 2029.
His confirmation in Berlin also formally closes the door on any run at the FIFA presidency. Ceferin had repeatedly dismissed any intention to challenge Gianni Infantino, and this makes it structural — he's locked into the UEFA role through the next FIFA election cycle.
Whether a genuinely contested election would have been good for European football governance is the question nobody in Nyon seems particularly keen to ask. For now, April 22 looks less like an election and more like a formality.
