Uefa Meets To Discuss Options For Finishing Football Season
UEFA will host a video conference with all 55 member association to discuss options for finishing the football season, which has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The CEOs and General Secretaries on the call will receive updates from UEFA’s working groups, which were set up during a previous meeting on 17th March, when the governing body for football in Europe postponed EURO 2020 and pushed the date back 12 months.
The two groups will consider the challenges faced by member associations and leagues who have had to suspend their seasons, and also examine the economic and regulatory impact the pandemic will have on the sport.
The UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin, said at the weekend that the entire 2019/20 football season could be lost in the event of the campaign resuming again too late in the year. However, he also added that finishing the season late could have an impact on both the next season as well as the transfer window.
He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica: “There is a plan A, B and C. We can start in May, in June, or the end of June. If we can’t do it on any of those three dates, then the season probably would be lost. There is also the possibility to finish the season at the start of next season, with next season starting a little late. It would have to work with respect to the players and the signing periods.”
In a statement, UEFA announced that the video call would take place: “UEFA has invited the General Secretaries of its 55 members associations to a videoconference on Wednesday 1 April at midday to share an update on the progress made by the two working groups that were created two weeks ago and to discuss options identified with regards to the potential rescheduling of matches.
“The meeting will look at developments across all UEFA national team and club competitions, as well as discussing progress at FIFA and European level on matters such as player contracts and the transfer system.”
No professional football in England will take place again before 30th April, but the suspension looks set to be extended further.
