By Paul Jones

Laura McAllister, the former Wales captain, has secured a place on Uefa’s executive committee. The 58-year-old had been due to stand for election for the post in April, but she has been appointed unopposed, making her the first Welsh person to serve on Uefa’s executive committee.

McAllister had been backed by the Football Association of Wales (FAW).

Uefa also confirmed that president Aleksander Ceferin will stand unopposed for re-election.

The FAW has received confirmation from @UEFA that former @Cymru player Laura McAllister is standing unopposed to join the UEFA Executive Committee.#TogetherStronger

— FA WALES (@FAWales) February 16, 2023

“I am very grateful to everyone who has supported me on this journey so far and to the FAW for nominating me,” McAllister said.

“Welsh football is breaking through a lot of glass ceilings currently and joining the Uefa executive committee will be a tremendous achievement for the FAW and a very proud moment for me and my family.

“Once I am officially elected to the executive committee at the congress in April, I will give all I have to working to improve European football and I look forward to contributing towards a bright future for football for everyone in our beautiful game.”

McAllister had narrowly lost an election to be Uefa’s representative for women on Fifa’s ruling council in 2021, but she is now set to achieve a historic first for Welsh football.

“When Laura’s position on the Uefa executive committee is formally confirmed in April, we will have achieved yet another huge milestone in our strategy, with Laura becoming the first person from Wales on a Uefa or Fifa board in the history of the FAW,” said FAW chief executive Noel Mooney.

Meanwhile, Ceferin, who is also running unopposed, was re-elected to the same role in 2019.

Slovenian lawyer Ceferin took over as Uefa president in 2016 after France’s Michel Platini stepped down after being banned by Fifa over ethics breaches.

Despite criticism over an independent report finding Uefa bears “primary responsibility” for the chaotic scenes that “almost led to disaster” before last year’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, Ceferin has maintained his position as Uefa’s president.

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