European football’s governing body, UEFA, has formally announced the unopposed re-election of President Aleksander Čeferin, who will serve a new four-year term.

The Slovenian lawyer and football administrator enters his third term in the top role, initially being re-elected in 2019, where he was the sole candidate.

Čeferin, who was chosen by acclamation during UEFA’s annual congress in Lisbon, oversaw the expansion of the European Championship premier men’s national tournament, from 16 to 24 teams, alongside dealing with the failed new European Super League proposals.

Commenting on his re-election, the UEFA president said: “It really means a lot to me, it is a great honor but mainly it is a great responsibility towards you and towards football.”

“Protecting this game is our mission. Our goal. Our purpose. Our raison d’être. We are elected, and we have a duty to set an example. We must never forget this. All of us,” he said.

Additionally, former international Welsh footballer and academic, Laura McAllister, was elected to the reserved female member position on the UEFA executive committee as the body’s vice-president, becoming the first woman to assume the position.

The congressional hearing also saw the appointment of several new executive committee members, who will serve four-year terms.

The elected executive committee candidates include:

• Armand Duka (Albania)
• Jesper Møller Christensen (Denmark)
• Petr Fousek (Czech Republic)
• Levan Kobiashvili (Georgia)
• Luis Rubiales (Spain)
• Philippe Diallo (France)
• Andrii Pavelko (Ukraine)

This announcement comes after UEFA announced a fan experience sponsorship with MasterCard, featuring Lionel Messi.