UEFA president Ceferin formally nominated for re-election

GENEVA (AP) — UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was formally nominated for re-election by his home federation in Slovenia in a coordinated campaign launch Tuesday for his expected win.

The federation said in a statement it sent a formal proposal to UEFA ahead of a Nov. 7 deadline for potential candidates to apply. The election will be on Feb. 7 in Rome.

Eight more of the 55 European federations have also pledged support for the Slovenian lawyer, who could be unopposed to get a second term.

The Italian soccer federation published a statement to “express gratitude for Ceferin for making UEFA even more of a leader on the world stage, also thanks to the extraordinary development of its club and international competitions.”

Ireland and the six Nordic and Scandinavian federations also said they support the 50-year-old Ceferin’s bid for four more years in office.

Major issues ahead for UEFA leaders include working with influential elite clubs to shape the Champions League from the 2024-25 season onward, and taking part in FIFA negotiations over a $25 billion offer to expand the Club World Cup and create a global version of UEFA’s Nations League.

Ceferin was elected in September 2016 to complete the term begun one year earlier by Michel Platini, who was banned by the FIFA ethics committee for financial wrongdoing.

He won a 42-13 vote against then-UEFA vice president Michael van Praag of the Netherlands, and automatically became one of eight FIFA vice presidents.

UEFA said it would not confirm presidential contenders before the November deadline. Candidates must then pass an integrity and eligibility check conducted by FIFA.

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