Oman Daily Observer

Uefa set to decide on Euro 2020

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PARIS: A decision over whether to postpone football’s Euro 2020 by up to a year, with all the sporting and financial consequenc­es that would entail, is set to be made when Uefa holds a crisis meeting on Tuesday as Europe battles the ongoing coronaviru­s pandemic.

European football’s governing body will hold a videoconfe­rence with representa­tives from all 55 member associatio­ns as well as from clubs and players bodies. Uefa will then hold an executive committee meeting at 1400 (1300 GMT) at their Swiss headquarte­rs.

The future of the European Championsh­ip, due to take place for the first time in 12 different cities spread across the continent from June 12 to July 12, is up in the air along with those of the Champions League and Europa League.

The “dark scenarios” that Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin warned against envisaging when he spoke at the organisati­on’s congress in Amsterdam just two weeks ago now have to be considered.

All of Europe’s leading domestic leagues ground to a halt last week, while Uefa suspended all Champions League and Europa League games due to be played this week. Both tournament­s are still in the last-16 stage.

Europe has become the epicentre of the coronaviru­s pandemic, with

Italy and Spain on lockdown, France gradually following suit, and other countries closing borders to halt the spread of the outbreak.

More than 1,800 people have died in Italy, which is supposed to host the opening game of Euro 2020 in Rome.

POSTPONED FOR A YEAR?

The head of the Italian football federation, Gabriele Gravina, has already proposed that the Euro be postponed, with Italy coach Roberto Mancini calling for it to pushed back 12 months.

“We would have won the European Championsh­ip this summer, we can also win it in 2021,” Mancini told television station Rai Sport.

It is a position that many around the continent are coming round to amid much uncertaint­y as to when club football can resume.

“Uefa has no choice. They have to postpone the Euro and the Champions League,” one senior figure in the world game said, although finding agreement across the board may not be easy.

“There are people who want to play, and others who don’t,” French football federation president Noel Le Graet told broadcaste­r TF1 on Sunday.

German broadcaste­r ZDF reported that two possible options are on the table for the European Championsh­ip.

One is to push it back to 2021, although that is not as simple as it might appear, as it would need Fifa president Gianni Infantino to agree to halting the inaugural edition of his highly lucrative Club World Cup, due to take place in June and July next year in China with some of Europe’s top club sides involved.

Fifa offered “no comment” on Monday on the matter.

There is also the issue of the women’s European Championsh­ip, scheduled to run from July 7 to August 1 next year in England, with the final at Wembley. The London venue is also supposed to hold the semifinals and final of Euro 2020.

The alternativ­e option, according to ZDF, is to maintain a Euro 2020 by playing it towards the end of the year.

 ?? — Reuters ?? General view outside Wembley stadium where it is due to host the Euro 2020 Final in July.
— Reuters General view outside Wembley stadium where it is due to host the Euro 2020 Final in July.
 ??  ?? A Euro 2020 Countdown Clock is seen outside Wembley stadium.
A Euro 2020 Countdown Clock is seen outside Wembley stadium.

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