February 17 – Former referee Pedro Proença will serve as the president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) for the next four years, ending the reign of Fernando Gomes.
Proença, 54, won the FPF elections with 75% of the vote, defeating Nuno Lobo, the president of the Lisbon Football Association.
“This is a victory for the entire football community: players, coaches, referees, managers, medical staff, clubs, professional football, professional associations, district and regional associations, and fans,” said Proença in a statement.
“Together we will turn Portuguese football even stronger.”
“Today we begin a new era at FPF. We know the responsibility we have, we want to do well. We have to be better in refereeing, in sports law, we have to be more unifying. From today onwards, our focus is on this Federation. Let’s do what hasn’t been done yet.”
Proença led a silent campaign, refusing to engage or debate with Lobo. He also shied away from media appearances. Proença did not address questions from the media following his victory.
With a background in football administration, he led Liga Portugal and sits on the European Leagues body. A former referee, he became the first official to officiate in the finals of both the Champions League and European championship in the same year in 2012. He sits on the UEFA executive committee as a representative of the European Leagues.
The 54-year-old will succeed Gomes, who led the FPF for 14 years. Under Gomes’s reign, Portugal won the 2016 European championship, a first-ever major title. The country also stepped in during the coronavirus pandemic to stage European club finals.
Gomes serves as a member of the UEFA executive committee and FIFA Council.
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