European Leagues’ main goal is to enhance and protect competitive balance in league competitions

Who We Are

The European Leagues – the Association of European Professional Football Leagues – is the voice of Professional Football Leagues across Europe on all matters of common interest. The European Leagues represent the vast majority of club football employers in the European social dialogue for the professional football sector.

The European Leagues, which is an association governed by Swiss law founded in 2005 and based in Nyon Switzerland, traces its origins back to the founding in 1997 of the EUPPFL (Association of European Union Premier Professional Football Leagues).

Originally founded by 14 members: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Sweden. The European Leagues now counts 40 professional football leagues and associations of clubs from 34 countries, representing more than 1150 clubs from all over Europe.

European Leagues Vision

To be the leading representative of professional league football in Europe on all matters of common interest.

European Leagues Mission

Our mission is to enhance and protect the national competitions run by the domestic leagues, so they can help their member clubs perform at the highest sporting level in a sustainable and competitively balanced environment.

To do so the European Leagues works in cooperation with the football governing bodies (FIFA, UEFA and National Associations) and public authorities across Europe through an active dialogue, including other relevant stakeholders in football.

MILANO 21/22.10.2021 SEDE LEGA CALCIO/A.G.EUROPEAN LEAGUES /ph Fabio Bozzani/SPORT/CALCIO/Nella foto

European Leagues Structure

The European Leagues is composed of a General Assembly (legislative body), a President and Vice President, the Board of Directors (executive body), the Strategic Committees (advisory bodies) and the European Leagues Administration (administrative body).

General Assembly

The General Assembly brings together all European Leagues Member Leagues and Associate Members. It is the legislative body of the European Leagues, which determines the general policies of the Association and can give all powers and authority to the Board of Directors.

The General Assembly meets at least twice a year.

RIGA 27.10.2023 LATVIAN VIRSLIGA/A.G.EUROPEAN LEAGUES/Photo of General Assembly Meeting

Meetings of the General Assembly

XXXXVI European Leagues General Assembly 21 April 2023 Prague, Czech Republic
XXXXV European Leagues General Assembly 18 November 2022 Porto, Portugal
XXXXIV European Leagues General Assembly 29 April 2022 Istanbul, Turkey
XXXXIII European Leagues General Assembly 22 October 2021 Milan, Italy
XXXXII European Leagues General Assembly 26 March 2021 Online
XXXXI European Leagues General Assembly 11 December 2020 Online
XXXXEuropean Leagues General Assembly 18 October 2019 London, England
XXXIX European Leagues General Assembly 5 April 2019 Lisbon, Portugal
XXXVIII European Leagues General Assembly 18 October 2018 Frankfurt, Germany
XXXVII European Leagues General Assembly 6 April 2018 Edinburgh, Scotland
XXXVI EPFL General Assembly 20 October 2017 Tel Aviv, Israel
EPFL Extraordinary General Assembly 06 June 2017 Geneva, Switzerland
XXXIV EPFL General Assembly meeting 31 March 2017 Porto, Portugal
XXXIII EPFL General Assembly meeting 21 October 2016 Zurich, Switzerland
XXXII EPFL General Assembly meeting 11 March 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
XXXI EPFL General Assembly meeting 23 October 2015 Warsaw, Poland
XXX EPFL General Assembly meeting 15 March 2015 Barcelona, Spain
XXIX EPFL General Assembly meeting 24 October 2014 Stockholm, Sweden
XXVIII EPFL General Assembly meeting 21 March 2014 Athens, Greece
XXVII EPFL General Assembly meeting 25 October 2013 Paris, France
XXVI EPFL General Assembly meeting 15 March 2013 Lisbon, Portugal
XXV EPFL General Assembly meeting 26 October 2012 Edinburgh, Scotland
XXIV EPFL General Assembly meeting 06 July 2012 Istanbul, Turkey
XXIII EPFL General Assembly meeting 27 March 2012 Manchester, England
XXII EPFL General Assembly meeting 25 October 2011 Kiev, Ukraine
XXI EPFL General Assembly meeting 08 July 2011 Vienna, Austria
XX EPFL General Assembly meeting 30 March 2011 Manchester, England
XIX EPFL General Assembly meeting 07 October 2010 London, England
XVIII EPFL General Assembly meeting 23 July 2010 Paris, France
XVII EPFL General Assembly meeting 11 March 2010 Nyon, Switzerland
XVI EPFL General Assembly meeting 30 October 2009 Florence, Italy
XV EPFL General Assembly meeting 23 June 2009 Moscow, Russia
XIV EPFL General Assembly meeting 05 March 2009 Copenhagen, Denmark
XIII EPFL General Assembly meeting 08 October 2008 London, England
XII EPFL General Assembly meeting 30 July 2008 Warsaw, Poland
XI EPFL General Assembly meeting 02 April 2008 Amsterdam, Netherlands
X EPFL General Assembly meeting 14 November 2007 Madrid, Spain
IX EPFL General Assembly meeting 26 July 2007 Cardiff, Wales
VIII EPFL General Assembly meeting 16 April 2007 Paris, France
VII EPFL General Assembly meeting 14 December 2006 Brussels, Belgium
VI EPFL General Assembly meeting 27 July 2006 London, England
V EPFL General Assembly meeting 15 March 2006 Nyon, Switzerland
IV EPFL General Assembly meeting 30 November 2005 Nyon, Switzerland
III EPFL General Assembly meeting 25-26 October 2005 Madrid, Spain
II EPFL General Assembly meeting 08 September 2005 Nyon, Switzerland
I EPFL General Assembly meeting 06 June 2005 London, England

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European Leagues President & Board of Directors

The President:

Pedro Proença, Liga Portugal, has been formally appointed President of the European Leagues by the General Assembly on November 30, 2023, serving until the end of the current mandate.

Pedro PROENÇA

President of the European Leagues

Liga Portugal

Liga Portugal

The Board of Directors:

The European Leagues Board of Directors is the executive body of the Association and is entrusted with the overall control and supervision of the same. It consists of thirteen members, each of them elected by the General Assembly for a term of 4 years. European Leagues Board of Directors for the 2021-2025 cycle is as follows:

Pedro PROENÇA

European Leagues Board Member (President)

Liga Portugal

Liga Portugal

Claudius SCHÄFER

European Leagues Board Member (Vice-President)

Swiss Football League

Swiss Football League

Lorin PARYS

European Leagues Board Member

Pro League

Pro League

Claus THOMSEN

European Leagues Board Member

Divisionsforeningen

Divisionsforeningen

Mathieu MOREUIL

European Leagues Board Member

Premier League

Premier League

John NAGLE

European Leagues Board Member

English Football League

English Football League

Benjamin VIARD

European Leagues Board Member

Ligue de Football Professionnel

Ligue de Football Professionnel

Marc LENZ

European Leagues Board Member

DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH

DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH

Luigi DE SIERVO

European Leagues Board Member

Lega Serie A

Lega Serie A

Jan DE JONG

European Leagues Board Member

Eredivisie CV

Eredivisie CV

Marcin ANIMUCKI

European Leagues Board Member

Polish Professional Football League Ekstraklasa

Polish Professional Football League Ekstraklasa

Neil DONCASTER

European Leagues Board Member

Scottish Professional Football League

Scottish Professional Football League

Mats ENQUIST

European Leagues Board Member

Föreningen Svensk Elitfotboll

Föreningen Svensk Elitfotboll

European Leagues Administration

The European Leagues Administration is the operational arm of the Association. It is entrusted by the Board of Directors and General Assembly for implementing the strategies necessary to meet the Association’s objectives and is responsible for the European Leagues’ daily administrative and financial management.

The Administration, led by the Managing Director, is responsible for the following areas:

  • Finance and Administration
  • Member Services
  • Legal Services
  • Communication
  • Operational relations with football stakeholders and EU institutions

The European Leagues Administration performs the following services/activities:

  • Preparation, implementation and follow-up of decisions taken by the General Assembly, the Board of Directors and the President;
  • Preparation and follow-up of the work of all strategic committees, task forces and working groups;
  • Permanent liaison with Member Leagues, football stakeholders and European institutions;
  • Coordination of all General Assembly and Board of Directors meetings;
  • Organisation and preparation of all European Leagues’ events, including conferences, seminars and workshops on various matters related to professional football;
  • Creation and management of knowledge sharing platform including benchmaking and research reports;
  • Supporting strategic league business development initiatives;
  • Internal and external communication;
  • Advice to candidate Members; and
  • Implementation of other tasks assigned to it by the President and the Board of Directors.

European Leagues Staff

Jacco SWART Managing Director NED
Alberto COLOMBO Deputy General Secretary ITA
Chris GERSTLE Strategy & Development Director ENG
Kevin BATARDIÈRE Member Services & Projects Manager SUI
Anthony BLACKBURNE Business Development & Projects Manager SUI
Amparo REIG Events & Office Manager ESP
Mehdi TRAÏFA Communication & Projects Manager FRA

External Consultant

Varun MURALIDHARA
Data Solutions & Projects Engineer IND