It has been another busy month for the European Club Association (ECA), with PEC meetings taking place across Europe, the confirmation of the speaking line-up for Club Connect in Madrid and participation at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit.
February kicked off with ECA alongside UEFA and Football Supporters Europe playing a key role in delivering the second UCC SLO Workshop at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, reinforcing the importance of Supporter Liaison Officers (SLOs) in European football. Bringing together SLOs from clubs competing in UEFA’s three men’s club competitions, the event focused on best practices, matchday operations and strengthening collaboration between key stakeholders.
The Platform for Executive Consultation (PEC) meetings formally started with meetups taking place in Nice, Prague and Belfast. A total of 74 clubs participated in the three events which facilitated important discussions among member clubs on strategic priorities of ECA moving forward.
Additionally, the speaking lineup for Club Connect in Madrid has been confirmed, with Arsène Wenger, Giorgio Chiellini, and Edin Terzić joining an impressive roster of speakers. The event, scheduled for 19-20 March 2025 at the Meliá Castilla Hotel in Madrid, Spain, will build on the success of its inaugural edition. This year’s Club Connect will bring together club directors and operational leaders from ECA Member Clubs, with a focus on two key areas: Men’s Football and Youth Football.
ECA has confirmed its participation in the Wings Cup, an international youth tournament hosted by RB Leipzig. On the second day of the tournament, ECA will host a youth football knowledge exchange at the Red Bull Arena.
This will bring together leading experts in youth football to discuss key topics such as talent identification, managing the transition from youth to senior football, and youth development. Academy heads, coaches and representatives from UEFA and FIFA will engage in thought-provoking presentations and panel discussions. Notable presenters include PSV Eindhoven, Sporting CP and a guest presentation from the Saudi Pro League.
A productive month for ECA concluded with a strong presence at the FT Business of Football Summit in London. ECA Board Members, committee representatives, and senior leadership actively participated in key discussions on European competition formats, strategic priorities and sustainable financial regulation. Highlights included valuable insights from ECA Board Members Dennis te Kloese, Pablo Longoria and Fernando Carro and ECA CEO Charlie Marshall. The event provided a great opportunity for ECA to continue to drive conversations that shape the future of European football.