Ceferin to stand for fourth term as Uefa president

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has changed his mind and decided to continue serving as the head of Europe's soccer governing body, rejecting previous plans to step down. The Slovenian football official made the announcement at a meeting of UEFA's 55 member associations in Berlin. Ceferin will stand for a final term, which will run until April 22, when the 51st UEFA Ordinary Congress convenes in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The president expressed gratitude to the national associations for their trust, stating that UEFA has faced significant challenges over recent years. He reiterated that there is still important work ahead, which motivated him to accept the request to continue in his role.

The decision to seek a final term came as UEFA's member associations, excluding Azerbaijan, demonstrated their support for FIFA reform proposals. UEFA emphasized that confidence in the current FIFA leadership has waned, calling for a new, unifying figure with the vision and experience to lead FIFA. Former Swiss defender Ramon Vega has also declared his intention to challenge incumbent FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the 2023 presidential election.

Vega is the first individual to formally announce his candidacy ahead of the November 18 deadline. Infantino has faced growing opposition since his July proposal to involve private investors in a new FIFA commercial entity, which holds rights for major competitions like the World Cup. The FIFA president has since suggested an independent review of FIFA's decision-making process and plans to consult with confederations, member associations, and other stakeholders on strengthening the organization's governance.