The first meetings of the majority of the newly composed ECA Working Groups will take place on 13-16 November 2023, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland. These meetings serve as a kick-off and are the bedrock for the work that will be conducted by ECA through the member clubs for the new 2023-27 club cycle, giving the clubs a voice in the future direction of European club football.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, ECA Chairman, said:
“The ECA Working Groups meetings in Geneva this week are a key moment in the new 2023-27 ECA Membership Cycle. Representatives from clubs of all sizes across Europe will debate the issues that matter most to European football clubs, helping shape the decisions that will drive forward club football over the next four years. At ECA, we’re committed to open, inclusive and democratic decision-making where everyone’s voice is heard, no matter the size of club – and these Working Groups are a great example of that.”
The new ECA Working Groups, comprised of more than 200 appointed representatives from 41 countries and 114 clubs, also demonstrate an impressive level of diversity with 23% of participants being women.
The eight ECA Working Groups are led by an ECA Executive Committee Lead and composed with a Bureau and representatives from ECA Members. The ECA Working Groups cover the workstreams that are priority areas for ECA namely: Men's Football, Women's Football, Youth Football, Finance, Commercial & Innovation, Sustainability, Legal & Regulatory, and Governance & Development.
What sets this cycle apart is the inclusion of Network Clubs, marking a milestone in ECA’s Commitment to broadening participation and representation.
The technical nature of the working groups is underpinned by the diverse expertise of their members. Each working group is led by the Bureau and ECA Members which may include Board Members and representatives of Ordinary, Associated, Women’s and for the first time Network Members.
ECA Working Groups play a vital role in shaping ECA’s activities. They serve as a critical platform that brings together the different ECA Members to discuss and share information, exchange and update opinions, and develop and substantiate common positions so that the clubs speak as one voice.
One of the core functions of these Working Groups is to provide recommendations and support to the ECA Board, ECA Executive Committee, and ECA Representatives in various stakeholder committees with transparency and engagement.
This gathering represents an important moment in the ECA’s calendar heralding the start of the continual work that will go into the common objective of elevating European club football and setting the course for the next four years.