Advertisement
Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Uefa delays final decision on Dublin's Euro 2020 fate until Friday

The future of the four games set to be played in the Aviva Stadium still hangs in the balance.

UEFA WILL ANNOUNCE the final decision over the host cities for this year’s delayed Euro 2020 on Friday, with Dublin in danger of being dropped from the list if it cannot welcome spectators to stadiums.

On Monday, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said European football’s governing body “postponed our final decision until Friday” to allow time for final discussions with representatives from Dublin as well as Munich and Bilbao, which are also in danger of losing games.

The three cities had previously been given until today to provide Uefa with additional information on their plans for spectators, with that deadline now extended.

Uefa could take matches due to be played there and relocate them to other existing host cities, although the president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, has said he will do “everything humanly possible” to ensure Spain keeps its four scheduled Euro games.

An FAI statement said: “The Football Association of Ireland and our Local Organising Structure (LOS) partners – Dublin City Council, Government and the Aviva Stadium – have today been informed by Uefa that no decision is forthcoming as yet regarding the hosting of four games in Dublin at the Uefa Euro 2020 finals this summer. 

“The Dublin LOS acknowledge this statement from UEFA and awaits further communication in due course.

“The FAI and the LOS will maintain dialogue with Uefa and will make no further comment until Uefa has reached a final decision on Dublin’s status as a host venue for Uefa Euro 2020 on Friday, April 23.”

Postponed by a year due to the pandemic, the European Championship is set to start in Rome on 11 June and is supposed to be played at 12 different venues spread across the continent, a controversial arrangement even before the pandemic brought about widespread travel restrictions.

The Italian capital was only confirmed as a host city last Wednesday when local authorities confirmed spectators would be allowed in up to 25% of the capacity of the 68,000-seat Stadio Olimpico.

It joins eight other cities — Saint-Petersburg, Baku, Budapest, Amsterdam, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Glasgow and London — in being confirmed, although the number of fans allowed into stadiums will vary from one venue to the other.

© – AFP, 2021

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!

Your Voice
Readers Comments
11
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel