PRESIDENT DRAGAN DZAJIC AND GENERAL SECRETARY JOVAN SURBATOVIC ABOUT THE DECISION BY UEFA AND A GREAT RECOGNITION FOR THE FA OF SERBIA TO HOST THE NEXT UEFA CONGRESS

It has been confirmed the decision made by UEFA Executive Committee, at the UEFA Congress held today in Paris, that Belgrade and the Football Association of Serbia will host the regular meeting of the highest body of the European Football Union on 3.4.2025.

Immediately after the end of the meeting in the ‘Maison de la Mutualite’ Hall, President Dragan Džajić was satisfied for the trust shown to Serbia by UEFA.

“UEFA decision to appoint our organization to be the host of the next Congress must be an honor and a privilege for all of us who work in Serbian football, but above all a huge responsibility and obligation to show that we deserved such a confidence.” Belgrade is known as a dynamic city with a rich football tradition and the ability to organize one of the most important events in European football. We have plenty of time to prepare for this big challenge and I am sure we will be up at the highest level. The Congress in Belgrade is an important step in further strengthening the relationship between the Football Association of Serbia and the European Football Union, as well as an opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas with colleagues from other countries and Associations – said President of our FA.”

The decision by UEFA comes at the best possible moment, when our A National Team is preparing for the European Championship in Germany and when Serbian football is making significant progress in various segments, primarily in terms of infrastructure development.

During his speech in Congress, the first man of European football, Aleksandar Čeferin said at one point that “Yugoslavia never felt more European, than in the moment when FC Crvena zvezda has won European Champions Cup in 1991: It was a victory against the French club, I apologize, to the Minister” – Čeferin made a joke with Mrs. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Minister of Youth and Sports of France who was present in the hall, and continued: “The victory of FC Crvena zvezda generated unique feelings of pride and identification and on the other hand, Yugoslavia never felt more isolated and sad, than when it was excluded from EURO 1992 for reasons we are all familiar with. After all, a football legend like Dejan Savićević, who is here with us, can confirm this.” – said Čeferin, which caused a special reaction among all the members of our Delegation.

“Hearing such words from the UEFA President at a meeting like this really makes you proud and privileged.” Those were successes of Serbian football, and of course there remains a huge regret that in 1992 we didn’t get the chance to show, what we deserved on the pitch through the qualification on the way to Sweden. I am glad that UEFA paid respects to the people who passed away between the two congresses, and that we had the opportunity for farewell of great names of the European Football, but also the farewell of two persons whose names are were written on the big screen – Mustafa Hasanagić and Velimir Đorđević.”

The General Secretary of the FA of Serbia Jovan Šurbatović says that it has been worked for a long time with people from UEFA on being appointed for the organization of the Congress:

“By coincidence, in the place where the idea of founding of the European Football Union was born in 1953, it has been made one of the most important decisions for Serbian football in the last few years. Certainly, a great recognition for the Football Association, Belgrade and the Country of Serbia, but also an obligation to show ourselves once again in the right light. We have enough experience, capacity, and knowledge for such a challenge. We hosted last year the HATTRICK Committee, which is one of the most important sectors in the UEFA system, through which all major projects in European Football are financed. Then, we received the highest marks and all the delegates were delighted that they would have the opportunity to visit Belgrade again. Most importantly, I think this is just the beginning. Thanks to the investments in the infrastructure at all levels, I am sure that we will host major football events more and more often. We have already had many discussions with UEFA Management on that topic, and the construction of the National Stadium offers us enormous opportunities and gives us the right to be awarded the organization of a major football competition or the Europa League Final after 2027. The first, in a series of visits by the UEFA operational team is expected in Belgrade in the period 13-18.2.”We are already ready for everything that awaits us, it remains for us to finish the whole job organizationally, logistically and operationally” – concluded the General Secretary of the FA of Serbia.