In this interview, we sit down with Peter Králik, president of the EMF, to reflect on a whirlwind year for minifootball. From the successful hosting of EMF EURO 2024 to the challenges of organizing multiple club competitions and preparing for the upcoming WMF World Cup in Baku, the president shares insights into the milestones achieved and the exciting plans for the future of minifootball in Europe and beyond
1, How challenging was the year 2024 in the world of minifootball?
I would say 2024 was very busy and fast-paced. After the election of a new executive committee at the end of February, we organized EMF EURO 2024 and four other club competitions with 96 European clubs. In addition to organizing these events, we also began working on new projects and development programs that are still in their early stages. We hope to see some results from these efforts in 2025.
2, How would you rate the success of EMF EURO 2024?
Looking back, I can say that EMF EURO 2024 was a successful event. From a sports perspective, it was the best edition of EMF EURO we have ever had. National associations and their teams are improving, and with the new rules, there were more goals scored. I can honestly say I have never watched so many exciting games as I did in Bosnia. On the downside, we still need to improve attendance for matches when the home team is not playing. This is not just a minifootball issue, but a challenge across many sports. Overall, EMF EURO 2024 promoted minifootball in Bosnia very quickly, and they can already see the benefits from organizing such an event. It could motivate other countries to consider hosting such an event in the future.
3, What are your thoughts on the progress of the club competitions – EMF Champions League, EMF EUROCUP, and EURO Business CUP?
The EMF Champions League is our top club competition, where only the national champions can compete. The matches were fantastic, and the city of Warsaw was a beautiful host. Our goal is to keep developing the Champions League to offer our clubs high-quality competitions. Many of our clubs are improving rapidly and building strong teams, so we want to give them the best experience possible for players, fans but also for their sponsors. In 2025 we will also start with a pilot women project.
The EMF EUROCUP is the second-highest club competition in Europe. It was created so that clubs who don’t win their national finals still have the chance to play at the European level. We are happy with its progress, but our goal is to bring in more teams from all over Europe. I believe we’re on the right track. This year we have connected it with EUROCUP Master which is the competition for 40+ years old and we would like to keep it together.
The EURO BUSINESS Cup is a great competition we created as part of our development program. The idea behind it is to help minifootball players find jobs through their minifootball skills. This helps players become loyal employees while also promoting the companies they work for through the EURO BUSINESS Cup. It’s also a great team-building experience. Since 2018, we’ve helped hundreds of players and over 50 companies. We hope to continue growing this program over the next five years not only on European level, but also on national level.
4, In May 2025, we will have the WMF World Cup in Baku. How are the preparations going for this major tournament?
We have high expectations for the World Cup in Baku, as it will be hosted by our 2022 European champions. The entire country has a passion for minifootball, and there’s great excitement for the opening match. Preparations are proceeding as planned, and the local organizing committee has been doing an excellent job. To all the fans, I would say: book your flights to Baku and enjoy the beautiful sights along with the world’s best minifootball.
5, Any wishes for 2025?
I would like to wish all minifootball fans and their families a happy New Year, filled with health and happiness. In 2025, we expect more than 150 clubs to participate in EMF competitions, including a new 7-a-side event in Spain and EMF Women Champions League. My personal wish is for all our events to be organized at least one level higher than in 2024, new projects to be organized successfully and I hope, in addition to all of theat, we can bring some exciting surprises for all the players.