UEFA presidential election 2027: date, venue and candidate requirements
UEFA has set the date and venue for the election that will shape its immediate future. The 50th Ordinary Congress will be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and will produce the next president of European football. Along with the succession of Alexander Ceferin, eight seats on the Executive Committee and four European representatives on the FIFA Council will also be filled.
Byvarela6 min read
European football now has a date for the renewal of its leadership. UEFA has convened the 50th edition of its Ordinary Congress in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and the gathering will produce the organization's next president for the 2027-2031 cycle. The process comes after Alexander Ceferin confirmed in 2024 that he would not stand for re-election, opening a succession race with major institutional weight.
- The 50th UEFA Ordinary Congress will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, in 2027.
- A new UEFA president will be elected after Alexander Ceferin's eleven years in charge.
- Eight seats on the Executive Committee will be renewed, including at least one woman.
- The four European representatives on the FIFA Council will be appointed, three as vice-presidents.
- The deadline to submit presidential candidacies is January 22 at midnight.
When and where the next UEFA president will be elected
The vote will take place during the 50th UEFA Ordinary Congress, with Astana as its host city. The Kazakh capital will stage a decisive day on which member associations will choose the successor to Alexander Ceferin, who took office in 2016 and had already announced he would not extend his time at the helm of the organization beyond 2027.
The European gathering comes just weeks after another key electoral moment for world football: on March 18, 2027, the next FIFA president will be known. Gianni Infantino, the current head of the Zurich-based body, remains the only candidate to have publicly announced his intention to run for re-election. The deadline to formalize FIFA candidacies expires on November 18, 2026.
Which positions are up for renewal beyond the UEFA presidency
The agenda at the Astana Congress goes well beyond the election of the top official in European football. The same day will see a vote on the partial composition of the Executive Committee, with eight seats at stake, and the statutes require at least one of them to go to a woman. The renewal carries particular weight for federations like Spain's, whose current president, Rafael Louzan, holds one of the seats on the Committee.
European federations will also select their four representatives on the FIFA Council. Three of them will serve as FIFA vice-presidents for a four-year term, and one of those positions must be proposed by the four British associations. The fourth European representative on the Council will be an ordinary member, also for a period of four years.
Deadlines to run for UEFA president
UEFA has informed its member associations that the deadline to submit presidential candidacies ends on January 22, 2027 at midnight. The organization's statutes allow any federation to propose candidates for the role, without requiring that the proposed person belong to the federation making the nomination.
To formalize a presidential candidacy, support from at least three member federations is mandatory. The statutory filter is designed to ensure that only figures with a minimum level of consolidated backing across the European federation landscape can contest the presidency.
Requirements to stand for the UEFA Executive Committee
For the eight Executive Committee seats, the calendar works slightly differently. Candidacies must be submitted no later than two months before the Congress, meaning February 22, 2027. The statutes are clear on one point: no more than one candidate from the same federation may stand for a place on the Committee.
In addition, candidates must hold the position of president or vice-president of their home federation. This condition narrows the profile of potential contenders to officials already serving at the highest level in their respective countries. The current Executive Committee includes Danish vice-president Jesper Christensen, Albanian vice-president Armand Duka and Welsh vice-president Laura McAllister, alongside members Petr Fousek of Czechia, Levan Kobiashvili of Georgia and Moshe Zuares of Israel.
Rafael Louzan's possible re-election at UEFA
One of the names to follow at the Astana Congress is Rafael Louzan, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. Louzan currently occupies a seat on the UEFA Executive Committee and, if he decides to stand again, he will need to meet the same requirements as the other candidates: keep his role at the Spanish federation and secure enough support within UEFA's electoral landscape.
His continuity, or that of other current Committee members, will be decided on the same day that European football gets a new president. The vote will shape the new balance of power at UEFA for the cycle starting in 2027, with the 2030 World Cup and the consolidation of the new club competition format on the horizon.
Frequently asked questions
When will the UEFA presidential election take place in 2027?
The vote is part of the 50th UEFA Ordinary Congress, scheduled to be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, during 2027. The next president will be chosen that day for a four-year term.
What are the requirements to run for UEFA president?
Any member federation can propose candidates, even if they do not belong to that federation. To formalize a candidacy, support from at least three federations is required, and it must be submitted by January 22, 2027 at midnight.
What other positions will be filled at the UEFA Ordinary Congress in Astana?
Along with the president, eight seats on the Executive Committee will be renewed, with at least one woman among those elected. The four European representatives on the FIFA Council will also be appointed, three as vice-presidents and one proposed by the British federations.