LAST UPDATE | 12 Mar 2020
EURO 2020 COULD be postponed until next summer at an emergency Uefa meeting next week prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.
European football’s governing body has called together its 55 member associations to discuss options for completing the Champions League, the Europa League and the possibility of moving the Euros amid widespread disruption to the fixture schedule caused by travel restrictions and positive tests.
It is understood everything will be on the table in terms of options at the Uefa meeting, including moving the Euros, changing hosting arrangements or the format of the event. Similarly, the club competitions will also be looked at to see if there is a way they can continue.
Further updates from Uefa could come on Thursday evening concerning next week’s Champions League and Europa League matches, with Tuesday’s matches between Real Madrid and Manchester City and Juventus and Lyon both postponed.
Real’s players had been quarantined as a precautionary measure after a member of the club’s basketball team tested positive for coronavirus.
That followed news on Wednesday night that Juventus’ Daniele Rugani had tested positive for Covid-19 and that isolation procedures were being put in place for other squad members who may have had contact.
A statement from Uefa on Thursday afternoon said: “In the light of the ongoing developments in the spread of Covid-19 across Europe and the changing analysis of the World Health Organisation, Uefa has today invited representatives of its 55 member associations, together with the boards of the European Club Association and the European Leagues and a representative of FIFPro, to attend meetings by video conference on Tuesday March 17 to discuss European football’s response to the outbreak.
“Discussions will include all domestic and European competitions, including Uefa Euro 2020. Further communication will be made following those meetings.”
It is understood the Europa League matches that had not already been postponed will be played tonight as planned.
