UEFA HAS ANNOUNCED that the postponed 2021 Uefa Women’s European Championship finals will take place from 6 to 31 July 2022.
Vera Pauw’s Ireland are on track to qualify for a first-ever major tournament after a strong showing in qualification thus far, though they have three group games to fulfil — and potentially play-offs to navigate — before the finals tournament in England.
The Lionesses, as hosts, are currently the only side to have qualified for the competition, which was moved following the postponements of Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Women’s Euros were originally scheduled to open at Old Trafford on 7 July 2021, but new dates were announced following a meeting of the Uefa Executive Committee via video today.
It is planned to use the same venues that were originally proposed to host the event.
“When we had to take an urgent decision on the postponement of Uefa Euro 2020, we always had the impact on Uefa Women’s Euro 2021 in mind,” president Aleksander Čeferin said in a statement.
“We have carefully considered all options, with our commitment to the growth of women’s football at the forefront of our thinking.
By moving Uefa Women’s Euro to the following year, we are ensuring that our flagship women’s competition will be the only major football tournament of the summer, providing it with the spotlight it deserves.”
Uefa’s chief of women’s football, Nadine Kessler, added: “The core question guiding us together with the English FA was: What is best for women’s football?
“With the Olympics now being confirmed for summer 2021, we firmly believe that moving to 2022 is in the best interests of the tournament, the players, the fans, women’s football partners and everybody involved in all areas and at all levels of the game.
“Uefa Women’s Euro is Europe’s biggest women’s sport event. It is also among the biggest sports events in the world, and therefore needs and deserves a platform of its own.”
The #UEFAExCo today confirmed that the postponed UEFA Women’s EURO 2021 will be played in England from 6 July to 31 July 2022.
— UEFA (@UEFA) April 23, 2020
While Phil Neville is now expected to leave his job as England boss, The42 recently reported that Dutchwoman Pauw will remain at the Ireland helm despite enforced changes to the women’s international football calendar.
57-year-old Pauw took charge of the Girls In Green in September for the remainder of their Euro 2021 campaign, and there is no change to that plan.
Ireland currently sit unbeaten on top of Group I as they look to qualify – although they have played a game more than top seeds Germany.
After two wins over Montenegro, a victory over Ukraine and four points earned against Greece, Ireland had been due to play Germany on 11 April before travelling to Ukraine on 5 June and then hosting the top guns in September.
But with Women’s European qualifiers and international friendlies scheduled for June also postponed, it looks like those games will now be played in October and November with play-offs next April — that all depends on the worldwide situation with Covid-19, however.
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