The UEFA European Championship, eagerly anticipated for the summer of 2020, has been officially postponed until 2021. This decisive action comes as European football governing bodies navigate the unprecedented disruption caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The primary objective behind this postponement is to provide ample opportunity for all of Europe’s domestic club competitions to conclude by June 30th, if conditions permit. This announcement was made by UEFA as football authorities grapple with the immense challenges presented by the global health crisis.
This landmark decision to reschedule Euros 2020, now proposed to take place from Friday, June 11th to Sunday, July 11th, 2021, was a key outcome of a series of measures unveiled. These measures underscore football’s commitment to providing leadership during what UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin described as “the biggest crisis that football has faced in its history.” The likely postponement of the Women’s Euros, initially slated for the following summer, to 2022 was also discussed as part of these comprehensive actions.
One participant in UEFA’s teleconference, which included representatives from all 55 European national football associations, the European Club Association, European Leagues, and FIFPro, the international players’ union, confirmed earlier reports of tentative dates being optimistically considered. These provisional dates include June 27th for the Champions League final and June 24th for the Europa League final. It was acknowledged that traditional calendar structures, such as Champions League matches being exclusively held midweek, might need to be adjusted to expedite the completion of fixtures as soon as governmental health and travel regulations allow.
UEFA has established two dedicated working groups to manage the complexities of this situation. One group is tasked with exploring options for the resumption and conclusion of the current club season in a cohesive and structured manner. The second group will concentrate on evaluating the economic, financial, and regulatory repercussions of the Covid-19 outbreak and formulating measures to mitigate the pandemic’s consequences across the football landscape.
The Copa América, originally scheduled to coincide with Euros 2020 from June 11th to July 11th, 2021, has also been postponed by the South American Football Confederation, mirroring UEFA’s decision. Furthermore, the African Nations Championship, planned for April in Cameroon and featuring players exclusively from domestic leagues, has been postponed indefinitely, highlighting the widespread impact of the pandemic on the global football calendar.
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Ceferin and FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized in their public statements that public health across Europe and globally remains the paramount concern. Infantino announced that FIFA would convene a conference call of its council bureau, the organization’s inner governing committee, to propose a $10 million donation to the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 solidarity response fund. Additionally, he suggested establishing a global football assistance fund to support members of the football community facing hardship due to the ongoing crisis.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Ceferin elaborated on the rationale behind the Euros postponement: “We all know that this terrible virus that is all across Europe made football, and all life in Europe, quite impossible. We knew we have to stop the competitions. We think that postponing the Euros is the only chance to get a chance [for] the national leagues and all the club competitions to finish their competitions. That is not sure for now. But we should now think about … health, the [families] of the players, and the players. And of course, we have to think about football as a whole, the whole ecosystem of football. That’s why we have decided today that we postponed the Euro and we have 100% full support of all 55 national associations, European Leagues, European Club Association and Fifpro.”
Ceferin acknowledged that postponing Euros 2020 would result in a substantial financial setback, estimated at “hundreds of millions of Euros.” It is worth noting that in 2018, UEFA had projected revenues exceeding €1 billion (£910 million) from 2020-24, with €371 million allocated for tournament prize money and €775 million earmarked for national associations’ football development programs. UEFA officials have highlighted the significant reliance of up to 40 countries, whose domestic football economies are considerably smaller than those of major football nations like England, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France, on this crucial funding.
The intention for the rescheduled tournament next summer is to maintain the innovative format of hosting matches across 12 different cities in 12 different countries, including Dublin, Glasgow, and London, with the final still planned for Wembley Stadium in London on July 12th, 2021. “The plan is to have the same venues, the same cities, the same stadiums,” Ceferin affirmed. “But if anything gets complicated, then we can as well do it with 11, then nine or less stadiums. But the plan is that everything stays the same.”
The Women’s European Championship, originally scheduled to be held in England from July 7th to August 1st of the following year, is “most likely” to be postponed to the summer of 2022, Ceferin indicated. This adjustment is considered more practical given the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is set to commence in November. “We are thinking of postponing this women’s Euro as well and the under-21 championship as well,” Ceferin stated, emphasizing the need to avoid “cannibalising the women’s Euro, with the men’s Euro just one month before.”
Mark Bullingham, chief executive of the FA, commented following the conference: “People’s health and wellbeing has to be the primary concern for us all, so we fully support UEFA’s decision to postpone Euros 2020. We will be considering the implications for all England teams and our organisation over the coming days, including any implications on the date of the 2021 women’s Euro which we are very proud to be hosting. We will continue to work in collaboration with the PL, EFL and our football partners on the scenarios that could follow UEFA’s decision today.” The ECA also confirmed its participation in the working group “to develop and shape the practicalities around managing the calendar to maximise the chances of concluding the remaining club games of the 2019-20 season and tackle the wider consequences of Covid-19 on the game”.
