ECA Awards 2018 ceremony held in Split

On the occasion of the 21^st ECA General Assembly, the winners of the ECA Awards 2018 were announced. First introduced in 2010, the ECA Awards aim at rewarding outstanding club performances, encouraging best practice and highlighting successful club management. The 2018 ECA Award winners are:

EUROPEAN CLUB OF THE YEAR 2018: REAL MADRID CF (ESP)
For their outstanding achievements during the 2017/18 season at European level.

BEST SPORTING PROGRESS 2018: FC RED BULL SALZBURG (AUT)
For their significant progress in European competition during the 2017/18 season.

The club achieved outstanding progress in European club competitions by making it to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals, having been knocked out at the group stage of the competition in the previous season. As a result of this success, the Austrian champions climbed 22 places in the UEFA Club Ranking, with a 16-point coefficient increase. To add to this impressive display in Europe, the club were crowned Champions of the Austrian Bundesliga.

BEST COMMUNITY & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMME 2018: KAA GENT (BEL)
For their successful CSR programme "Revitalizing New Ghent".

“Revitalizing New Ghent” aims at strengthening the economically disadvantaged community/area surrounding the club’s stadium through investment in local organisations and social initiatives. At the core of the project is the development of a community centre, offering various sports and leisure activities, which remain ongoing throughout the year.

For more information, please visit: www.kaagent.be/en/foundation

Similarly to the past, the ECA CSR Award 2018 winner was chosen by an independent panel, composed of:

• Peter Gilliéron, UEFA Executive Committee Member and Chairman of the Committee for Fair Play & Social Responsibility at UEFA;
• Hubert Rovers, Chief Executive Officer at the European Football for Development Network (EFDN);
• Duncan Fraser, CEO at Aberdeen FC (ECA CSR Award Winner 2017)
  
  

WOMEN’S CLUB FOOTBALL AWARD 2018: ARSENAL FC & CHELSEA FC (ENG)
For their outstanding contribution to the promotion of women’s club football.

Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC were both recognised for breaking the record attendance at a women’s club match in Europe at the 2018 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, with 45,423 spectators in attendance. This year, for the first time, the winner of the award was voted upon by the ten members of the ECA Women’s Football Committee Bureau.