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Union of European Football Associations

The UEFA seal
UEFA member associations are in red
Formation	15 June, 1954
Type	Sports organisation
Headquarters	Nyon, Switzerland
Membership	53 national associations
President	Michel Platini
Website	http://www.uefa.com/

The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. It represents the national football associations of Europe, runs Europe-wide national and club competitions, and controls the prize money, regulations and media rights to those competitions. Several national football associations which are geographically in Asia or mostly in Asia belong to UEFA rather than the Asian Football Confederation. These nations are Israel, Cyprus, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Russia and Azerbaijan (Israel and Kazakhstan are former AFC members). Cyprus chose to be classed as a European football nation — it had the choice of Europe, Asia and Africa.

UEFA is one of the biggest of six continental confederations of FIFA. Of all the confederations, it is by far the strongest in terms of wealth and influence over the global game. Virtually all of the world's top players play in European leagues in part due to the salaries available from the world's wealthiest football clubs, particularly in England, France, Italy, Spain and Germany. Many of the world's strongest national sides are in UEFA. Of the 32 available spots in the

, 14 were allocated to UEFA national teams, and currently 16 of the top 20 teams in the FIFA World Rankings are UEFA members.

UEFA was founded on June 15 1954 in Basel, Switzerland following discussions between the French, Italian and Belgian FAs. The headquarters was in Paris until 1959 when the organisation moved to Bern. Henri Delaunay was the first General Secretary and Ebbe Schwartz the president. Its administrative centre since 1995 is in Nyon, Switzerland. It was initially made up of 25 national associations. Currently there are 53 associations (see the bottom of this page or List of UEFA national football teams).

The current UEFA President is Michel Platini.

UEFA, as a representative of the national associations, has had a number of bruising clashes with the European Commission. In the 1990s the issues of television rights and especially international transfers (the Bosman ruling) have had to undergo some major changes to remain in line with European law.

UEFA Presidents

• Ebbe Schwartz (1954–1962)
• Gustav Wiederkehr (1962–1972†)
• Artemio Franchi (1972–1983†)
• Jacques Georges (1983–1990)
• Lennart Johansson (1990–2007)
• Michel Platini (2007–present)

UEFA Chief Executives

Called General Secretaries before December 1999:

• Henri Delaunay (1954–55)
• Pierre Delaunay (1955–60)
• Hans Bangerter (1960–89)
• Gerhard Aigner (1989–2003)
• Lars-Christer Olsson (2003–2007)
• Gianni Infantino (2007 interim)
• David Taylor (2007-Present)

Competitions

International

The main competition for men's national teams is the UEFA European Football Championship, started in 1958, with the first finals in 1960, and known as the European Nations Cup until 1964. UEFA also runs national competitions at Under-21, Under-19 and Under-17 levels. For women's national teams, UEFA operates the UEFA Women's Championship for senior national sides and the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship at under-19 level.

UEFA also organises the UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup with CAF for youth teams.

In futsal there is the UEFA Futsal Championship.

Club

UEFA also runs the two main club competitions in Europe: the UEFA Champions League was first held in 1955, and was known as the European Champion Clubs Cup (or just European Cup) until 1991; and the UEFA Cup, for national knockout cup winners and high-placed league teams, was launched by UEFA in 1971 as a successor to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (also begun in 1955). A third competition, the Cup Winners' Cup, started in 1960 and was absorbed into the UEFA Cup in 1999. Only four teams have won each of the three competitions, a feat that is no longer possible for any team that did not win the Cup Winners' Cup. There are currently ten teams throughout Europe that have won two of the three trophies; all have won the Cup Winners Cup and six require a win in the Champions League and four require a UEFA Cup win.

The UEFA Super Cup, which pits the winners of the Champions League against the winners of the UEFA Cup (previously the winners of the Cup Winners' Cup), came into being in 1973.

The UEFA Intertoto Cup is a summer competition, previously operated by several Central European football associations, which was relaunched by UEFA in 1995 as a qualifying competition for the UEFA Cup. Recently, UEFA launched the UEFA Regions Cup, for semi-professional teams. UEFA also conducts the UEFA Women's Cup for women's club teams.

In futsal there is the UEFA Futsal Cup.

The European/South American Cup was jointly organised with CONMEBOL between the Champions League and the Copa Libertadores winners.

UEFA World Cup Qualifiers

Women's Qualifiers

The following UEFA members have competed in the following FIFA World Cups. Names marked in bold represent occasions when a UEFA member won the tournament:

• 1930 - Belgium, France, Romania, Yugoslavia
• 1934 - Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
• 1938 - Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland
• 1950 - England, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Yugoslavia
• 1954 - Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Scotland, Switzerland, Turkey, West Germany, Yugoslavia
• 1958 - Austria, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Hungary, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, USSR, Wales, West Germany, Yugoslavia
• 1962 - Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, England, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, USSR, West Germany, Yugoslavia
• 1966 - Bulgaria, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, USSR, West Germany
• 1970 - Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, England, Italy, Romania, Sweden, USSR, West Germany (plus Israel, who qualified as member of AFC)
• 1974 - Bulgaria, East Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Sweden, West Germany, Yugoslavia
• 1978 - Austria, France, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, West Germany
• 1982 - Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Spain, USSR, West Germany, Yugoslavia
• 1986 - Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, USSR, West Germany
• 1990 - Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, England, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, USSR, West Germany, Yugoslavia
• 1994 - Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
• 1998 - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Yugoslavia FR
• 2002 - Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey
• 2006 - Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia and Montenegro, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine

Total appearances by team (out of 18)

• 16:
  Template:GERf (incl. 10 as West Germany)
  Template:ITAf
• 12:
  Template:ENGf
  Template:FRAf
  Template:ESPf
• 11:
  Template:BELf
  Template:SWEf
• 10:
  Template:SRBf (incl. 8 as Template:YUGf, 1 as Template:YUGfscg and 1 as Template:SCGf)
• 9:
  Template:CZEf (incl. 8 as Template:TCHf)
  Template:HUNf
  Template:RUSf (incl. 7 as Template:URSf)
• 8:
  Template:NEDf
  Template:SCOf
  Template:SUIf
• 7:
  Template:AUTf
  Template:BULf
  Template:POLf
  Template:ROUf
• 4:
  Template:PORf
• 3:
  Template:DENf
  Template:IRLf
  Template:NIRf
  Template:NORf
  Template:CROf
• 2:
  Template:TURf
• 1:
  Template:GDRf
  Template:GREf
  Template:ISRf (qualified when member of AFC)
  Template:SVNf
  Template:WALf
  Template:UKRf

= team and national federation no longer exist

• NOTE: FIFA considers Germany to carry West Germany's record. The same goes for Serbia, Serbia and Montenegro , Montenegro and Yugoslavia; Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia; and Russia and the USSR.
• Montenegro applied for membership in UEFA and FIFA on 30 June 2006, was admitted to UEFA on 26 January 2007, and is currently slated to be admitted to FIFA in May 2007.

See also

• UEFA Club Football Awards
• UEFA coefficients
• UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll
• UEFA Jubilee Awards
• UEFA Stadia List
• European football records
• Uefa Celebration Match

References

1. alltime ranking of worldcup participants www.fifa.com, February, 5th, 2007

External links

• UEFA homepage
• UEFA TV (www.uefa.tv) Unofficial uefa website
• UEFA European Women's Championship
• UEFA Standings
• Unofficial UEFA Under-17 website

Template:Fb start

v t e International association football
FIFA Federations Teams Competitions World Rankings The Best FIFA Football Awards Timeline
World (FIFA)	FIFA World Cup U-20 U-17 FIFA Confederations Cup FIFA Gold Cup Olympic Games Youth Olympic Games
Asia (AFC)	AFC Asian Cup U-23 U-20 U-17 AFC Challenge Cup AFC Solidarity Cup Asian Games Regional ASEAN CAFA EAFF SAFF WAFF Arabian Gulf Cup East Asian Games Far Eastern Games South Asian Games Southeast Asian Games West Asian Games
Africa (CAF)	CAF Africa Cup of Nations U-23 U-20 U-17 CAF African Nations Championship African Games Regional CECAFA COSAFA UNIFFAC WAFU Central African Games Indian Ocean Island Games
North America (CONCACAF)	CONCACAF Gold Cup U-23 U-20 U-17 U-15 CONCACAF Championship CONCACAF Nations League CONCACAF Cup NAFC Championship CCCF Championship Central America and Caribbean Games Regional North American Nations Cup Copa Centroamericana CFU Championship Caribbean Cup LIFA Cup WIFA Cup Central America Games
South America (CONMEBOL)	CONMEBOL Copa América U-23 U-20 U-17 U-15 South American Games Regional Bolivarian Games
Oceania (OFC)	OFC Nations Cup U-23 U-19 U-17 Regional Melanesia Cup Polynesia Cup Pacific Games Pacific Mini Games
Europe (UEFA)	UEFA European Championship U-21 U-19 U-17 UEFA Nations League Regional Central European Cup Balkan Cup Baltic Cup British Home Championship Nordic Championship
Inter-Continental	CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions CPF Panamerican Championship CAF-AFC Afro-Asian Cup of Nations AFC–OFC Challenge Cup FIFA Arab Cup Palestine Cup Kuneitra Cup Overseas Cup Afro-Asian Games Arab Games Francophone Games GANEFO Goodwill Games Islamic Games Islamic Solidarity Games Lusofonia Games Mediterranean Cup Mediterranean Games Pan American Games
Non-FIFA	CONIFA World Football Cup CONIFA European Football Cup CONIFA South America Football Cup CONIFA Africa Football Cup FIFI Wild Cup UIAFA Great European Tournament Island Games Micronesian Games Universiade World Unity Football Alliance
See also Geography Codes Player/Club of the Century Women's football

v t e International women's association football
FIFA Federations Teams Competitions World Ranking Player of the Year The Best FIFA Women's Player
Worldwide	FIFA Women's World Cup U-20 U-17
Asia	AFC Women's Asian Cup U-20 U-17 Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Regional ASEAN EAFF SAFF WAFF, CAFA Intercontinental (Arab)
Africa	CAF Women's Cup of Nations U-20 U-17 Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Regional CECAFA COSAFA UNAF WAFU A WAFU B UNIFFAC Intercontinental (Arab)
North America, Central America and the Caribbean	CONCACAF W Championship U-20 U-17 W Gold Cup W Nations League Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
South America	CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina U-20 U-17
Oceania	OFC Women's Nations Cup U-19 U-16 Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
Europe	UEFA Women's Championship U-19 U-17 Women's Nations League
Non-FIFA	NF-Board Women's Viva World Cup CONIFA CONIFA Women's World Football Cup
Games	Olympics Youth Olympics Universiade African Games Asian Games Central America and Caribbean Central American Games Goodwill Games Pan American Games Pacific Games Indian Ocean Island Games South Asian Games Southeast Asian Games Island Games
Invitationals	Aisha Buhari Cup Albena Cup Algarve Cup Aphrodite Women Cup Arnold Clark Cup Australia Cup Balaton Cup Baltic Cup Brazil Cup Chungua Cup Cyprus Women's Cup European Competition ('69,'79) Cup of Nations Finalissima Four Nations Tournament FIFA Invitation Tournament Gold Cup Istria Cup Women's Kirin Challenge Cup Malta International Matchworld Cup MS&AD Cup Mundialito Nordic Championship Our Game Tournament Peace Queen Cup Pinatar Cup Revelations Cup SAFF Women's Friendly Tournament SheBelieves Cup Sud Ladies Cup Tournament of Nations Tournoi de France Turkish Women's Cup Valais Cup Women's World Cup ('70,'71) Yongchuan International Tournament
Geography Codes Player of the Century Men's football

v t e International men's club football competitions
Intercontinental Cup (defunct) Afro-Asian Club Championship (defunct) Under-20 Intercontinental Cup World Leagues Forum Lists of association football clubs
Global	FIFA – Club World Cup Intercontinental Cup
Africa	CAF – Champions League Confederation Cup Super Cup
Asia	AFC – Champions League Elite Champions League Two Challenge League
Europe	UEFA – Champions League Europa League Conference League Super Cup
North, Central America and the Caribbean	CONCACAF – Champions Cup Leagues Cup Central American Cup Caribbean Cup
Oceania	OFC – Champions League
South America	CONMEBOL – Copa Libertadores Copa Sudamericana Recopa Sudamericana
See also: International women's club football

v t e International futsal

FIFA FIFA Futsal World Cup FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup AMF AMF Futsal World Cup AMF Futsal Women's World Cup Youth Olympics Women's Futsal World Tournament Grand Prix Confederations Cup Futsal Finalissima World University Championship South American Games Futsal Mundialito Mediterranean Cup Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Southeast Asian Games Futsal Awards Teams Asia AFC Futsal Asian Cup U-20 Women's Futsal Asian Cup Africa CAF Futsal Cup of Nations North America Central America and Caribbean CONCACAF Futsal Championship South America CONMEBOL Copa América U-20 U-17 Copa América Femenina U-20 Oceania OFC Futsal Championship U-18 Women's Futsal Cup Europe UEFA: Futsal Euro U-21 U-19 Women's Futsal Euro UEFS/FEF: UEFS Futsal Men's Championship UEFS Futsal Women's Championship

Template:Fb end

• UEFA
• 1954 establishments
• Football (soccer) in Europe