- Title: UEFA to consider postponing Euro 2020 over coronavirus
- Date: 13th March 2020
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - SEPTEMBER 15, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF WEMBLEY STADIUM STADIUM EXTERIOR / STATUE OF 1966 WORLD CUP WINNING ENGLAND CAPTAIN BOBBY MOORE MOORE STATUE WITH ENGLAND FLAG VIEW OF STADIUM FROM ENTRANCE WALKWAY SECTION OF ARCH ARCH SEEN FROM INSIDE STADIUM STADIUM INTERIOR GROUNDSKEEPER CUTTING GRASS INTERIOR OF STADIUM SEATING VIEW FROM PITCH LEVEL SEATING INTERIOR OF STADIUM GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HAMPDEN PARK STAIRS OUTSIDE STADIUM SCOTTISH FA BADGE ON EXTERIOR OF STADIUM TAXI DRIVING THROUGH CAR PARK OUTSIDE STADIUM VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF HAMPDEN PARK GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 9, 2017) (REUTERS) INTERIOR OF HAMPDEN PARK ROME, ITALY (OCTOBER 31, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE STADIO OLIMPICO SEEN FROM A HILLSIDE VIEW OF RIVER TIBER / EXTERIOR OF STADIUM VIEW OF SEATS INSIDE STADIUM CLOSE UP OF ROOF EXTERIOR OF STADIUM AT GROUND LEVEL VARIOUS OF MONUMENT OUTSIDE STADIUM WITH INSCRIPTION, READING: "JULY 25, 1943. END OF THE FASCIST REGIME" VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE STADIUM BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (FILE - MAY 29, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF OLYMPIC STADIUM VARIOUS OF FANS ARRIVING AT THE STADIUM AHEAD OF THE EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL BETWEEN CHELSEA AND ARSENAL COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (NOVEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF PARKEN STADIUM SIGN ON STADIUM, READING: "PARKEN STADIUM" VARIOUS OF STATUE OUTSIDE STADIUM VARIOUS OF FC COPENHAGEN BADGE ON GROUND INSIDE STADIUM TECHNICAL AREAS INSIDE STADIUM INTERIOR OF STADIUM VIEW FROM ROW AT BACK OF TOP TIER OF STADIUM INTERIOR OF STADIUM ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF SAINT PETERSBURG STADIUM VARIOUS INTERIORS OF SAINT PETERSBURG STADIUM WITH GROUNDSMAN WORKING ROOF OF STADIUM / PITCH ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (FILE - APRIL 29, 2018) (REUTERS) MOTOR BOAT PASSING PAST SAINT PETERSBURG STADIUM WHICH IS IN BACKGROUND STADIUM ON SHORE OF RIVER BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (FILE - MARCH 6, 2013) (REUTERS) CHELSEA TRAINING ON PITCH AT NATIONAL ARENA BUCHAREST PEOPLE WATCHING TRAINING VARIOUS OF TRAINING IN PROGRESS BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (FILE - SEPTEMBER 5, 2011) (REUTERS) BALLS ON PITCH FRANCE TRAINING ON PITCH LARGE TELEVISION SCREEN IN STADIUM PLAYERS TRAINING AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (FILE - MAY 8, 2019) (REUTERS) AJAX AMSTERDAM FANS OUTSIDE JOHAN CRUYFF ARENA SIGN ON EXTERIOR OF STADIUM SHOWING PHOTO OF JOHAN CRUYFF AND READING: "JOHAN CRUYFF ARENA) AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (FILE - MARCH 23, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GERMANY TRAINING AT JOHAN CRUYFF ARENA AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (FILE - MARCH 21, 2013) (REUTERS) THE NETHERLANDS TRAINING AT THE JOHAN CRUYFF ARENA WITH AJAX LOGO ON SEATING VARIOUS OF THE NETHERLANDS TRAINING ON PITCH BILBAO, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 22, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF SAN MAMES STADIUM TRUCK AND CARS PASSING BY, SAN MAMES STADIUM IN THE BACKGROUND PEOPLE TALKING IN FRONT OF SAN MAMES STADIUM YOUNG PEOPLE WALKING / SIGN, READING (SPANISH, BASQUE AND ENGLISH): "ATHLETIC CLUB, STORE" AND "SAN MAMES ENTRY" STADIUM DIGITAL BOARD WITH FEMALE SOCCER PLAYER LUCIA GARCIA EXTERIOR OF SAN MAMES STADIUM SAN MAMES SEATING SEEN FROM OUTSIDE STADIUM EXTERIOR OF STADIUM CLEANING VEHICLE IN FRONT OF STADIUM CITY OF BILBAO REFLECTED ON SAN MAMES' STADIUM GLASS MAN WITH A KID IN HIS ARMS PASSING BY, WORKER CLEANING STADIUM EXTERIOR OF SAN MAMES STADIUM DUBLIN, IRELAND (NOVEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE AVIVA STADIUM VARIOUS OF STADIUM SEEN FROM OTHER SIDE OF RIVER DODDER EXTERIOR OF STADIUM LOGO ON STADIUM, READING: "AVIVA STADIUM" CAR DRIVING PAST STADIUM SIGN ON STADIUM, READING: "AVIVA STADIUM" MUNICH, GERMANY (FILE - SEPTEMBER 16, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF BAYERN MUNICH'S ALLIANZ ARENA MUNICH, GERMANY (FILE - AUGUST 2014) (REUTERS) CROWD INSIDE ARENA SPECTATORS BAYERN PLAYERS TRAINING IN STADIUM BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (NOVEMBER 21, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PUSKAS ARENA VARIOUS OF STATUE OUTSIDE STADIUM VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF STADIUM
- Embargoed: 27th March 2020 14:20
- Keywords: Aleksander Ceferin England Euro 2020 France Germany Italy Portugal UEFA
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: Various
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA004C4VZL1J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: UEFA will consider the option of postponing Euro 2020 during a video conference with its 55 federations, a source close to European soccer's governing body said on Thursday (March 12) as the sport faced up to the growing impact of the coronavirus.
The 24-team Euro 2020 tournament, scheduled to be held in 12 countries from June 12 to July 12, could be pushed back a year or be re-organised with different venues, the source said.
UEFA will hold a video conference meeting next Tuesday and as well as the federations, representatives of clubs, leagues and players will discuss the impact of the coronavirus on all European fixtures, including Euro 2020.
The European Championship is the biggest national team tournament after the World Cup and a major source of revenue for UEFA and its member organisations.
UEFA has declined to discuss the options saying on Thursday that the "discussions will include all domestic and European competitions, including UEFA EURO 2020".
The source added that as well as postponement other options that will be considered include switching venues and a possible change to the format of the tournament
One complication is the need to finish domestic and European club competitions before the tournament begins to ensure qualification for next season's UEFA competitions is decided.
One football federation official said "all options are on the table" but suggested the priority was finding ways to finish the club season -- even if games are delayed until the summer.
This season's Champions League has been thrown into doubt with the remaining last-16 second leg ties postponed.
A range of options to be discussed for Europe's elite club competition -- and the second-tier Europa League -- include reducing the fixture burden by switching to one-legged games, the source said.
Real Madrid and Juventus have sent all of their footballers into quarantine.
Real Madrid's move came after one of the club's basketball players tested positive for the coronavirus, while Juventus defender Daniele Rugani also tested positive for the virus. Real's basketball team was also sent into quarantine.
Domestic leagues around the continent have been put on hold or their matches are taking place behind closed doors.
Two Europa League games scheduled for Thursday have been postponed because Spanish side Getafe refused to travel to Italy to face Inter Milan and AS Roma said they could not travel to Spain to face Sevilla because of flight restrictions.
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