In connection with the congress in Belgrade on Thursday, Karl-Erik Nilsson's mandate in UEFA's powerful board expires. Nilsson - chairman of the Swedish Football Association 2012-2023 - has sat for eight years and has also been vice chairman.
It has been important for Swedish football that Karl-Erik Nilsson has been represented in the executive committee. At the same time, we have good relations with UEFA and we will continue to nurture them. And we also have good Nordic cooperation, says Simon Åström, who was recently elected as the new association chairman after Fredrik Reinfeldt.
Two from the Nordic countries are candidates
During the congress in Serbia, Norway's chairman Lise Klaveness is expected to take a seat on the UEFA board. The Norwegian has no opponent for the quota place for women that she is running for. Finland's chairman Ari Lahti is also running for an open seat.
Additionally, Denmark's football chairman Jesper Møller has been sitting on the board since 2019 - the Dane has two years left on his mandate.
Geographical representation is important in UEFA and when it is expected that there will be two Nordic heavyweights in the powerful body, it may take a while before Simon Åström can express interest in a seat.
That may very well be the case. And as I mentioned, I think it's important that we in Sweden are involved and have good international representation, but you can build international cooperation and dialogue in many ways, says Åström and continues:
"Good relations"
For me, there is no self-purpose in seeking specific posts in that way, but we should work for what is best for Swedish football. Sometimes it's through own representation and sometimes it's through cooperation with others, and hopefully the two perspectives often go parallel.
It is the European Football Association's decision-making body.
Consists of UEFA's chairman and 19 additional board members. 16 are elected by the congress (at least one female member), two by the European top clubs' organization (ECA) and one by the umbrella organization European Leagues.
Chairman: Aleksander Ceferin, Slovenia, since 2016.
First Vice Chairman: Swede Karl-Erik Nilsson, who is now leaving his assignment.
Some of the candidates who can be elected to the committee at the congress on April 3:
Lise Klaveness, Norway, four-year candidacy (only female candidate).
Ari Lahti, Finland, four-year candidacy.
Gabriele Gravina, Italy, four-year candidacy, running for re-election.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, Germany, four-year candidacy, running for re-election.
Andrij Sjevtjenko, Ukraine, two-year candidacy.
