UEFA

The Union of European Football Associations, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced you-AY-fuh), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. It represents the national football associations of Europe, running nine national and four club competitions in Europe (all European nations plus Turkey, Israel, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan), controlling the prize-money, regulations and media rights to those competitions. It is one of the six continental confederations of FIFA.

Competitions

International

The main competition for men's national teams is the European Football Championship, started in 1958, with the first finals in 1960, and known as the European Nations Cup until 1964. UEFA also runs national competitions at Under-21, Under-19 and Under-17 levels. For women's national teams, UEFA operates the UEFA Women's Championship for senior national sides and the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship at under-19 level.

Related Topics:
European Football Championship - 1958 - 1960 - Under-21 - Under-19 - Under-17 - UEFA Women's Championship - UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship

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UEFA also organises the UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup with CAF for youth teams.

Related Topics:
UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup - CAF

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In futsal there is the UEFA Futsal Championship.

Related Topics:
Futsal - UEFA Futsal Championship

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Club

UEFA also runs the two main club competitions in Europe: the UEFA Champions League, for national league champions, was first held in 1955, and was known as the European Champion Clubs Cup until 1991; and the UEFA Cup, for national knockout cup winners and high-placed league teams, was launched by UEFA in 1971 as a successor to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (also begun in 1955). A third competition, the Cup Winners' Cup, started in 1960 and was absorbed into the UEFA Cup in 1999. Only four teams have won each of the three competitions, a feat that is no longer possible for any team that did not win the Cup Winners' Cup. There are currently ten teams throughout Europe that have won two of the three trophies; of these, six require a win in the Champions League and four require a UEFA Cup win.

Related Topics:
UEFA Champions League - 1955 - 1991 - UEFA Cup - 1971 - Inter-Cities Fairs Cup - Cup Winners' Cup - 1960 - 1999 - Won each of the three competitions

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The UEFA Super Cup, which pits the winners of the Champions League against the winners of the UEFA Cup (previously the winners of the Cup Winners' Cup), came into being in 1973.

Related Topics:
UEFA Super Cup - 1973

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The UEFA Intertoto Cup is a summer competition, previously operated by several Central European football associations, which was relaunched by UEFA in 1995 as a qualifying competition for the UEFA Cup. Recently, UEFA launched the UEFA Regions Cup, for semi-professional teams. UEFA also conducts the UEFA Women's Cup for women's club teams.

Related Topics:
UEFA Intertoto Cup - Central European - 1995 - UEFA Regions Cup - UEFA Women's Cup

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In futsal there is the UEFA Futsal Cup.

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The European/South American Cup was jointly organised with CONMEBOL between the Champions League and the Copa Libertadores winners.

Related Topics:
European/South American Cup - CONMEBOL - Champions League - Copa Libertadores

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