Crunch day for UEFA as it considers when to stage Euros
EUROPEAN FOOTBALL faces a defining day today as the continent’s governing body UEFA consults on how best for the sport to deal with the coronavirus crisis.
One of the key decisions to be taken will be whether to postpone Euro 2020 until the summer of 2021, with the intention of allowing 2019-20 competitions that have been suspended following the Covid-19 outbreak at least the chance to be completed.
A number of national associations which are due to host matches this summer are understood to be ready to do all they can to assist, if the consensus is that the tournament be postponed.
The Italian federation’s president, Gabriele Gravina, has stated his preferred view would be for the tournament to be either delayed until later this year or until next summer.
His country is currently in lockdown and all football activity suspended until at least April 4.
Meetings will begin this morning and an announcement on any decision is not expected until mid to late afternoon.
It is expected that the UEFA leadership, including president Aleksander Ceferin, will be involved in a number of conference calls. The declaration of a state of emergency in the Canton of Vaud means staff allowed in will be strictly limited.
The UEFA hierarchy has invited input from the European Club Association, the European Leagues umbrella body and world players’ union FIFPRO, with the views of those groups potentially sought on one call.
Ceferin and his executive team are then expected to speak via conference call to the member associations – all 55 have been invited to join.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham and chairman Greg Clarke are understood to be joining the call, as are representatives from the Football Association of Wales, the Irish FA, the Football Association of Ireland and the Scottish FA.
As well as the Euros, another key point for discussion will be how, and if, the Champions League and Europa League competitions can be completed.
This week’s games were postponed at the end of last week because of players selfisolating and travel restrictions, and all ideas on how to get the tournament completed are set to be discussed.
It is understood“everything is on the table” in terms of solutions. A streamlining of the competitions to single-leg ties may be one option, but even then it looks likely that the 2019-20 season will feed well into the summer at least to be completed.
World governing body FIFA is not represented but it it will be monitoring with interest in terms of its impact on the international match calendar.