European Football Clubs

Formed on the merge of the G-14 group with the European Club Forum, a task force created by UEFA in 2002 to bring together 102 member clubs in January 2008. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge served as acting chairman until he was officially elected chairman when the ECA's 103 members met for the first time on 7–8 July 2008 at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was the acting chairman before officially being elected chairman of the ECA when its 103 members met for the first time on the 7–8 July 2008 at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. In addition to replacing the G-14, which was dissolved in favour of the ECA on 15 February 2008, the new ECA also replaces UEFA's European Club Forum (of which Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was also chairman).

The European Club Forum utilised a similar membership selection process as the European Club Association, with 102 members picked every two years. In April 2021 following the announcement of the European Super League, several of the clubs involved resigned from the ECA. The ECA had criticised the formation of the new league. On 7 May 2021, UEFA approved reintegration measures for nine clubs involved in that breakaway competition.

As of March 2023, there were 512 ECA members including 135 ordinary, 169 associated in addition to 208 network clubs and 40 women's clubs. On 1 June 2024, it was reported that Juventus would rejoin the ECA starting from July, following their withdrawal as part of the Super League project in 2021.

On 7 October 2025, the European Club Association (ECA) rebranded as European Football Clubs (EFC), representing over 800 member clubs across 55 nations, including 139 women's clubs.

On 13 February 2026, Barcelona were reinstated as an Ordinary Member after withdrawing from the Super League project.

The Working Groups are an important cornerstone of EFC's organisational structure as they provide active advice and support not only to the Executive Board, but also to EFC representatives participating in UEFA, FIFA and EU committees and working groups. Their contribution is key and strategic to the association. All working groups are made up of both Ordinary Member and Associated Member Clubs from all four subdivisions. Alongside EFC Working Groups, dedicated Task Forces give assistance on specific matters, which require urgent decision-making.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by UEFA in 2008, the European Club Association was recognized as the sole body representing the interests of clubs at European level. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, UEFA also agreed to distribute every four years an amount from the UEFA European Championship to national associations for them to pass on to their clubs who have contributed to the successful staging of a European Championship.

A renewed Memorandum of Understanding for the period 2012–2018 was signed on 22 March 2012 between ECA and UEFA at the occasion of the XXXVI Ordinary UEFA Congress. The memorandum was signed by ECA Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and UEFA President Michel Platini.

The most updated Memorandum of Understanding between FIFA and ECA happened at the 29th ECA General Assembly in Budapest, Hungary. It hoped to encourage close collaboration between ECA and FIFA with an extension fulfilled until December 2030. UEFA also signed an agreement that extends their cooperation until 2030.

The most recent Memorandum of Understanding between UEFA and ECA was announced in October during ECA’s 31st General Assembly in Athens, building their long-standing partnership out until 2033. The renewal of the long-term agreement underlines the strengthened relationship between the two organisations who have collaborated on critical issues on European club football in recent years ranging from new competition and revenue distribution structures to Financial Sustainability Regulations

The International Match Calendar, a key topic of discussions, makes the release of national team players compulsory for clubs on the dates it highlights. The 2014–18 International Match Calendar is based on a concrete proposal put forward by ECA, and the efforts of a dedicated working group comprising representatives from ECA, European Leagues, FIFPro, and UEFA. The working group's recommendation, acknowledged by FIFA, offers a more balanced system of nine double-headers over two years with no single friendly matches and is beneficial for both clubs and national associations.

The Club Protection Program, initially put in place at the expense of UEFA to cover the Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, has since been taken over at FIFA's expense following the approval by the FIFA Congress in Budapest in May 2012. It now covers all clubs that release players for national A-team matches listed on the International Match Calendar, including a FIFA commitment to insure the football tournament of the Olympic Games. The Club Protection Program provides compensation for clubs in the event that national A-team players participating for their national association suffer a temporary total disablement (TTD) as a result of bodily injuries caused by an accident. Players are insured up to a maximum of one year from the day of the excess period (= date of injury + 27 days) and a maximum of €7.5 million.