Champions League up in the air, as UEFA confirm Euro 2020 postponement UEFA have confirmed the postponement of Euro 2020 until the summer of 2021 due to the ongoing worldwide coronavirus pandemic. However, the governing body have yet to make a decision on Champions League and Europa League competitions, as well as the Women’s 2021 Euros and the under-21s competition. This week’s Champions League games were postponed at the end of last week because of players self-isolating and travel restrictions. The proposed new dates for the Euro 2020 tournament are now June 11-July 11, 2021. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has released a statement: “We are at the helm of a sport that vast numbers of people live and breathe that has been laid low by this invisible and fast-moving opponent. It is at times like these, that the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity and altruism. “The health of fans, staff and players has to be our number one priority and in that spirit, Uefa tabled a range of options so that competitions can finish this season safely and I am proud of the response of my colleagues across European football. There was a real spirit of co-operation, with everyone recognising that they had to sacrifice something in order to achieve the best result. “It was important that, as the governing body of European football, Uefa led the process and made the biggest sacrifice. Moving Euro 2020 comes at a huge cost for Uefa but we will do our best to ensure that the vital funding for grassroots, women’s football and the development of the game in our 55 countries is not affected. Purpose over profit has been our guiding principle in taking this decision for the good of European football as a whole. “Football is an uplifting and powerful force in society. The thought of celebrating a pan-European festival of football in empty stadia, with deserted fan zones while the continent sits at home in isolation, is a joyless one and one we could not accept to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition. “I would like to thank the European Club Association, the European Leagues and FIFPro Europe for their great work today and for their cooperation. I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart the 55 national associations, their presidents and general secretaries, and my colleagues from the executive committee for their support and wise decisions. “The fine detail will be worked out in the coming weeks but the basic principles have been agreed and that is a major step forward. We have all shown that we are responsible leaders. We have demonstrated solidarity and unity. Purpose over profit. We’ve achieved this today. “Decisions on dates for other Uefa competitions, whether club or national team for men or women, will be taken and announced in due course.” The UEFA leadership, including Ceferin, have been involved in a number of conference calls throughout Tuesday. The European Club Association, the European Leagues umbrella body and world players’ union FIFPRO have all had input in today’s decisions. Ceferin and his executive team are also understood to have spoken via conference call to the member associations – with all 55 have been invited to join. Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham and chairman Greg Clarke are understood to have been involved as are Football Association of Wales chief executive Jonathan Ford and his Irish FA counterpart Patrick Nelson. World governing body FIFA wa not directly represented at Tuesday’s meeting. The post Champions League up in the air, as UEFA confirm Euro 2020 postponement appeared first on teamtalk.com.

UEFA have confirmed the postponement of Euro 2020 until the summer of 2021 due to the ongoing worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

However, the governing body have yet to make a decision on Champions League and Europa League competitions, as well as the Women’s 2021 Euros and the under-21s competition.

This week’s Champions League games were postponed at the end of last week because of players self-isolating and travel restrictions.

The proposed new dates for the Euro 2020 tournament are now June 11-July 11, 2021.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has released a statement: “We are at the helm of a sport that vast numbers of people live and breathe that has been laid low by this invisible and fast-moving opponent. It is at times like these, that the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity and altruism.

“The health of fans, staff and players has to be our number one priority and in that spirit, Uefa tabled a range of options so that competitions can finish this season safely and I am proud of the response of my colleagues across European football. There was a real spirit of co-operation, with everyone recognising that they had to sacrifice something in order to achieve the best result.

“It was important that, as the governing body of European football, Uefa led the process and made the biggest sacrifice. Moving Euro 2020 comes at a huge cost for Uefa but we will do our best to ensure that the vital funding for grassroots, women’s football and the development of the game in our 55 countries is not affected. Purpose over profit has been our guiding principle in taking this decision for the good of European football as a whole.

“Football is an uplifting and powerful force in society. The thought of celebrating a pan-European festival of football in empty stadia, with deserted fan zones while the continent sits at home in isolation, is a joyless one and one we could not accept to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition.

“I would like to thank the European Club Association, the European Leagues and FIFPro Europe for their great work today and for their cooperation. I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart the 55 national associations, their presidents and general secretaries, and my colleagues from the executive committee for their support and wise decisions.

“The fine detail will be worked out in the coming weeks but the basic principles have been agreed and that is a major step forward. We have all shown that we are responsible leaders. We have demonstrated solidarity and unity. Purpose over profit. We’ve achieved this today.

“Decisions on dates for other Uefa competitions, whether club or national team for men or women, will be taken and announced in due course.”

The UEFA leadership, including Ceferin, have been involved in a number of conference calls throughout Tuesday.

The European Club Association, the European Leagues umbrella body and world players’ union FIFPRO have all had input in today’s decisions.

Ceferin and his executive team are also understood to have spoken via conference call to the member associations – with all 55 have been invited to join. Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham and chairman Greg Clarke are understood to have been involved as are Football Association of Wales chief executive Jonathan Ford and his Irish FA counterpart Patrick Nelson.

 

 

 

World governing body FIFA wa not directly represented at Tuesday’s meeting.

 

The post Champions League up in the air, as UEFA confirm Euro 2020 postponement appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Matthew Briggs