Aleksander Čeferin is a Slovenian lawyer and sports administrator, best known as the President of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
Born on October 13, 1967, in Ljubljana, Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia), he comes from a prominent legal family.
His father, Peter Čeferin, is a respected attorney who founded the family law firm in 1967.
Čeferin graduated from the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Law and later joined and eventually took over the family law practice, where he specialized in representing professional athletes and sports clubs.
Siblings
Aleksander has two siblings, an older brother, Rok Čeferin, and a younger sister, Petra Čeferin.
Rok is a distinguished jurist who serves as the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia, having previously been elected as a judge in 2019.
Petra is an architect and a professor at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Ljubljana.
Career
Čeferin began his professional life as a lawyer in the family firm, developing expertise in sports law.
His formal entry into football administration came in 2005 when he joined the executive board of a successful Slovenian futsal club, KMN Svea Lesna Litija.
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In 2011, he was elected President of the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS), a position he held until 2016.
During this time, he also served on UEFA committees, gaining valuable international experience.
In September 2016, Čeferin was elected as the seventh President of UEFA at an extraordinary congress in Athens, succeeding Ángel María Villar in an acting capacity.
He automatically became a Vice-President of FIFA.
He has been re-elected multiple times, including unanimously in 2019 and again in 2023 for another four-year term.
His presidency has focused on defending the traditional European football model, opposing breakaway leagues like the Super League, navigating challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and promoting reforms in governance and youth development.
Under his leadership, UEFA has emphasized unity, financial sustainability, and the expansion of competitions while maintaining competitive balance.
He also chairs the UEFA Foundation for Children, highlighting his commitment to social responsibility through sport.
Accolades
Čeferin’s election as UEFA President from a small nation like Slovenia was seen as a significant achievement, reflecting broad support across European football associations.
He has been re-elected with strong majorities, underscoring confidence in his stewardship.
Čeferin has been praised for successfully opposing the European Super League project in 2021, which many viewed as a pivotal moment in preserving football’s open pyramid structure.
His handling of the COVID-19 crisis, including the relocation of major finals and support for domestic leagues, also drew acclaim.
Additionally, his work with the UEFA Foundation for Children has highlighted the social impact of football.
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