UEFA confirms 3 entries for presidential election

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NYON, Switzerland (AP) – Contenders from Slovenia, the Netherlands and Spain have entered the UEFA presidential contest to replace the banned Michel Platini.

UEFA confirmed the three national federation presidents on Friday: Aleksander Ceferin, Michael van Praag, and Angel Maria Villar.

All must pass an integrity check to be accepted as a candidate for a job which includes the role of FIFA vice president.

UEFA’s 55 member federations will vote on Sept. 14 in Athens.

Van Praag and Villar are currently UEFA vice presidents, and Ceferin is a relative newcomer to European football politics.

Van Praag stood against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency last year, then withdrew days before the vote.

Villar, who already is a FIFA vice president, has been a member of FIFA’s ruling committee for 18 years and leader of Spanish football for 28 years.

The winner will complete Platini’s third four-year presidential term which expires in early 2019.

A four-nation group of Nordic federations, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, said in June it would support Ceferin. The group also wants to co-host the 2024 European Championship.

UEFA should make that hosting decision during the current presidential term.

In a separate election due Sept. 14, there are two contenders for the UEFA position of a women’s delegate to the FIFA ruling council.

Evelina Christillin of Italy and Laura McAllister will also be subject to a FIFA eligibility check, UEFA said.

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