Prince William to welcome football officials for Uefa's annual congress in London

 
P57 Prince William Pic:Getty Images
Wire24 May 2013

The Duke of Cambridge will welcome football officials from across Europe for Uefa's 37th annual congress being staged in London today.

William, who is president of English football's governing body the Football Association (FA), will follow Uefa president Michel Platini in giving the welcome address.

The event comes the day before Wembley Stadium hosts the showpiece Uefa Champions League final between Germany's two leading teams Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

Before making his address William will have a private meeting with Fifa president Sepp Blatter, Mr Platini and FA chairman David Bernstein at central London's Grosvenor House hotel which is staging the congress.

It is likely to be the first time the Duke has met Blatter since the royal played a role in England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup, joining a delegation in Switzerland in 2010 which included David Cameron and David Beckham, but ultimately failed.

William is likely to make reference to the 150th anniversary of the formation of the FA, celebrated this year, in his speech.

Ebenezer Morley, a solicitor and sportsman living in Barnes in south-west London, was the driving force behind a meeting in London on October 26, 1863 that led to the establishment of a governing body for English football.

The lawyer, who formed Barnes football club the previous year, believed the game should have a set of rules in the same way that the MCC had for cricket.

Items on the congress agenda include Uefa executive committee elections, a resolution on "European football united against racism" and an application by the Gibraltar FA for Uefa membership.

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