# UEFA–CONMEBOL memorandum of understanding

The UEFA–CONMEBOL memorandum of understanding (Spanish: Memorando de Entendimiento) is an agreement between UEFA and CONMEBOL, the association football confederations of Europe and South America, respectively, signed between both parties with the aim of achieving close collaboration for the development of this sport in the regions. It was signed on 12 February 2020 and extended on 15 December 2021 in a first stage, and on 2 June 2022 in a second stage. This will permit creation of official championships in the branches of men's, women's, youth and indoor football and the possibility of exchanging referees in the tournaments organised by both entities.
In January 2022, CONMEBOL and UEFA authorities met at the CONMEBOL headquarters in Asunción, Paraguay, and ratified the agreements they had already signed for future competitions. Both parts also agreed to establish a joint office in London.

## Mission and objectives

The MoU seeks to provide assistance and support between both confederations to establish and implement projects and activities related to:
* the promotion and development of grassroots football, youth football and women's football
* the organisation of championships
* marketing, legal and social responsibility matters
* security;
* the promotion of ethical principles and good governance in football

## Committees

In order to move forward with the projects, 4 joint committees were created through the memorandum. The strategies of both confederations in the different committees are coordinated in a Joint Representation Office located in London, England, United Kingdom, inaugurated on 4 April 2022.
The committees are:

### Refereeing

As of the signing of the MoU, a referee exchange program was started, allowing referees and assistant referees appointed by their respective confederation to participate in matches in competitions organised by the other signatory party. Below is the list of referees appointed within the exchange program:
Appointed referees in exchange program :
| Organizing confederation | Competition | Appointed referee | Role | Association |
| UEFA | UEFA Euro 2020 | Fernando Rapallini | Referee | Argentina (CONMEBOL) |
| UEFA | UEFA Euro 2020 | Juan Pablo Belatti | Assistant referee | Argentina (CONMEBOL) |
| UEFA | UEFA Euro 2020 | Diego Yamil Bonfá | Assistant referee | Argentina (CONMEBOL) |
| UEFA | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 | Emikar Calderas | Referee | Venezuela (CONMEBOL) |
| UEFA | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 | Migdalia Rodríguez Chirino | Assistant referee | Venezuela (CONMEBOL) |
| UEFA | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 | Mary Blanco Bolívar | Assistant referee | Colombia (CONMEBOL) |
| CONMEBOL | 2021 Copa América | Jesús Gil Manzano | Referee | Spain (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2021 Copa América | Diego Barbero Sevilla | Assistant referee | Spain (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2021 Copa América | Ángel Nevado Rodríguez | Assistant referee | Spain (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2021 Copa América | Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea | VAR | Spain (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2021 Copa América | José Luis Munuera Montero | VAR | Spain (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 South American U-20 Women's Championship | Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi | Referee | Italy (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 South American U-20 Women's Championship | Giulia Tempestilli | Assistant referee | Italy (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 South American U-20 Women's Championship | Eliana Fernández González | Assistant referee | Spain (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 Copa América Femenina | Sandra Braz | Referee | Portugal (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 Copa América Femenina | Andreia Ferreira Souza | Assistant referee | Portugal (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 Copa América Femenina | Rita Cabañero Mompó | Assistant referee | Spain (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 Copa Libertadores Femenina | Maria Marotta | Referee | Italy (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 Copa Libertadores Femenina | Tiziana Trasciatti | Assistant referee | Italy (UEFA) |
| CONMEBOL | 2022 Copa Libertadores Femenina | Silvia Fernández Pérez | Assistant referee | Spain (UEFA) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Finalissima | Piero Maza | Referee | Chile (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Finalissima | Christian Schiemann | Assistant referee | Chile (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Finalissima | Claudio Ríos | Assistant referee | Chile (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Finalissima | Jesús Gil Manzano | 4th official | Spain (UEFA) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Finalissima | Alejandro Hernández Hernández | VAR | Spain (UEFA) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Finalissima | Juan Martínez Munuera | AVAR | Spain (UEFA) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Finalissima | Tiago Lopes Martins | AVAR | Portugal (UEFA) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 UEFA-CONMEBOL Under-20 Intercontinental Cup | Derlis López | Referee | Paraguay (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 UEFA-CONMEBOL Under-20 Intercontinental Cup | Roberto Cañete | Assistant referee | Paraguay (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 UEFA-CONMEBOL Under-20 Intercontinental Cup | José Villagra | Assistant referee | Paraguay (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 UEFA-CONMEBOL Under-20 Intercontinental Cup | José Méndez | 4th official | Argentina (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 UEFA-CONMEBOL Under-20 Intercontinental Cup | Germán Delfino | VAR | Argentina (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 UEFA-CONMEBOL Under-20 Intercontinental Cup | Maximiliano Del Yeso | AVAR | Argentina (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Henry Gutiérrez | Referee | Bolivia (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Ricardo Messa | Referee | Brazil (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Gean Telles | Referee | Brazil (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Christian Espínola | Referee | Chile (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Jonhatan Herbas | Referee | Ecuador (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Mario Espichan | Referee | Peru (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Daniel Rodríguez | Referee | Uruguay (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Yuri García | Referee | Colombia (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | Daniel Manrique | Timekeeper | Colombia (CONMEBOL) |
| Both confederations (intercontinental championships) | 2022 Futsal Finalissima | José Villar | Timekeeper | Venezuela (CONMEBOL) |

### Women's football

The agreement provides a development strategy for this branch in all its member associations, as well as the creation of different competitions. The first women's football championship planned from the MoU is the UEFA-CONMEBOL Women's Finalissima, a tournament that emulates the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in the women's branch.

### Development and coaches

The purpose of this committee is to provide a joint project for the creation of:
* Elite young player development programs
* Scout Development
* Joint coaching licences: A mutual recognition of titles and coaching licences (for example, equivalence between UEFA Pro License and CONMEBOL PRO License) is planned for 2023.

### Competitions

The competitions created under the memorandum are the following ones:
* Finalissima: a quadrennial match featuring men's football champions of the UEFA Euro and the CONMEBOL Copa América. There were two editions prior to the signing of the MoU (1985 and 1993). Its relaunch was made official on 28 September 2021, agreeing to organise three new editions. The first of them was held on 1 June 2022 at Wembley Stadium, under the name of Finalissima.
* Under-20 Intercontinental Cup: a biennial match featuring men's football champions of the UEFA Youth League and the U-20 Copa Libertadores. Its first edition was held on 21 August 2022 at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo.
* Futsal Finalissima: a quadrennial match featuring men's futsal champions and runners-up of the UEFA Futsal Championship and the Copa América de Futsal. The first edition was held from 15 to 18 September 2022 at the Movistar Arena Stadium in Buenos Aires.
* UEFA–CONMEBOL Women's Finalissima: a quadrennial match featuring women's football champions of the UEFA Women's Euro and the Women's Conmebol Copa América. The first edition was played on FIFA Women's International Matchweek of February 2023 in Europe.
* UEFA–CONMEBOL Club Challenge: an annual match featuring men's football champions of the CONMEBOL and UEFA's second-tier competitions the UEFA Europa League and CONMEBOL Sudamericana. Its first edition was held on 19 July 2023 at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in Seville.