Paris, France, Apr 1 – UEFA have made a move towards clearing the decks for the return of club football by announcing on Wednesday that all international matches that had been pushed back to June have now been postponed until further notice.
“This includes the play-off matches for UEFA Euro 2020 and qualifying matches for UEFA Women’s Euro 2021,” said European football’s governing body in a statement.
“All other UEFA competition matches, including the centralised international friendly matches, remain postponed until further notice.”
The decision followed a videoconference with Europe’s 55 member federations as part of discussions on how to adapt the fixture calendar in the face of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
The play-off semi-finals and finals that are supposed to decide the last four qualifying berths for the next European Championship were initially postponed at the end of March and pencilled in provisionally for June.
That was “subject to a review of the situation” amid uncertainty over how the pandemic will develop and whether many European countries currently in lockdown will be able to return to some kind of normality.
Friendlies that will not now go ahead include England’s matches in Austria and at home to Romania in early June.
– Finishing season is ‘priority’ –
However, UEFA have also stated a determination to finish all domestic and club competitions by June 30.
While that currently looks ambitious, clearing the international fixtures from the same month does buy some more time as they aim to complete the Champions League and Europa League competitions as well as domestic leagues.
“The federations agreed to hand over the international window in June (two dates) to the leagues so they can complete domestic competitions. Finishing the current season is a priority for UEFA as much as it is for the federations,” said the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in a statement.
Carrying the season on beyond June 30 runs the risk of clubs losing their out-of-contract players before matches have been completed, unless a solution can be found.
“There is a very strong case to be made that it should be in everybody’s interests to as much as possible extend those,” said Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, the general secretary of global players’ union FIFPro, when asked about the issue of expiring player contracts in a conference call on Tuesday.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin told Italian daily La Repubblica at the weekend that football “could start again in mid-May, in June or even late June” but that any time after that and “the season will probably be lost.”
However, the Spanish federation also revealed that UEFA have laid the ground for playing club football in July and August should a June return not prove feasible.
The impact of the pandemic on Europe has already forced UEFA to put Euro 2020 back 12 months, while the women’s Euro 2021 has also been postponed.
According to the RFEF and the Danish Football Association, agreement has been reached for the women’s Euro 2021, due to be hosted by England, to be played in 2022. The next men’s under-21 Euro will also go ahead in 2022, they said.
UEFA also said that the men’s and women’s Under-17 and Under-19 European Championships, scheduled for this May and July respectively, were postponed until further notice.
(Visited 5 times, 5 visits today)
%thecontent%%avatar%%author%
- %authornetworks%
- %authornetworks%
Comments
%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"%title%
%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"%title%
%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"Okwiri keeps Tokyo dream despite Dakar loss
rn rn Boxingrn rn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn More Headlines
rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Wimbledon cancelled for first time since WWIIrn
rn rn Gamern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Tributes paid to ex-Marseille president Dioufrn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 2 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Ex- Marseille president Pape Diouf dies of coronavirusrn
rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 6 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn New Zealand Rugby slash pay as sport reels from virusrn
rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn 6 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Kiwi rugby stars share lockdown tips in new showrn
rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn 7 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Secrecy and suspense over Tour de France’s fatern
rn rn Gamern rn rn rn 6 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rnMost Popular
rn ntttnttttntttttnttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn rn rnAll Sports
rn trn rn rn rn
rn rn rn rn Wimbledon cancelled for first time since WWII
rn rn rn Gamern rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn UEFA postpone June internationals in hope club football can return
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Tributes paid to ex-Marseille president Diouf
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Ex- Marseille president Pape Diouf dies of coronavirus
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn New Zealand Rugby slash pay as sport reels from virus
rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rnPoll Question
rn rn ntnttnttnttWILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?
- ntt
- NO ntt
- YES ntt
Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn 
rn rn rn rn Kiwi rugby stars share lockdown tips in new show
rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Secrecy and suspense over Tour de France’s fate
rn rn rn Gamern rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Could coronavirus kill off German football fan power?
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Solskjaer in touch with Man Utd stars during virus lockdown
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn
rn rn rn rn Summon spirit of 2006 to beat COVID-19- Cannavaro to Italy
rn rn rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnSponsored
rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnFeatured
rn rn rn rn rn
rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Wimbledon cancelled for first time since WWIIrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn UEFA postpone all June international matchesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn 
rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Okwiri keeps Tokyo dream despite Dakar lossrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Tributes paid to ex-Marseille president Dioufrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Ex- Marseille president Pape Diouf dies of coronavirusrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn tMost Popular
rn ntttnttttntttttnttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttnttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttttntttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttntttttttnntttttnttttntttttttntt rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn tFeatured
rn rn trn rnrn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Wimbledon cancelled for first time since WWIIrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn UEFA postpone all June international matchesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Okwiri keeps Tokyo dream despite Dakar lossrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Tributes paid to ex-Marseille president Dioufrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Ex- Marseille president Pape Diouf dies of coronavirusrn rn rn Viewrn rn Wednesday, 1st Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"Oops...Something broke on our end
"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */
