The 58-year-old Slovenian confirmed his decision during a meeting in Berlin with the presidents and general secretaries of UEFA’s 55 national associations, who had unanimously asked him to reconsider, Anadolu Agency reported.
Ceferin will stand for reelection at the 51st UEFA Ordinary Congress in Astana, Kazakhstan, on April 22, 2027. If reelected, he would remain UEFA president until 2031.
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“I want to thank the national associations for their trust. We have faced extraordinary challenges over the past years, and we have faced them as one team,” Ceferin said in a statement.
“There is still important work ahead, and I have therefore accepted their request. My ambition remains the same: to keep European football united, make our game stronger and leave UEFA ready for the next generation,” he added.
Ceferin has led UEFA since 2016. In February 2024, he announced that he would not seek another term in 2027, despite changes to UEFA’s rules that made him eligible to serve a fourth term.
The Berlin meeting also focused on the future leadership and governance of FIFA.
UEFA and 54 of its 55 national associations, with Azerbaijan not joining the position, agreed on proposals calling for changes to FIFA’s leadership and governance.
The associations said they had lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino and argued that institutional reforms alone would not be sufficient to address their concerns.
They called for new leadership at FIFA that they said should work to restore confidence among football’s governing bodies while strengthening reform, integrity and independence.
The dispute follows opposition to Infantino’s proposal to seek private investment in a company responsible for managing commercial rights connected to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. The plan was subsequently abandoned following resistance from UEFA and other football organizations.
Ceferin has previously ruled out challenging Infantino in FIFA’s presidential election scheduled for March 2027.
UEFA said discussions on FIFA reform and leadership would continue, with another meeting involving its 55 national associations planned before Nov. 17.
