Following discussions with the 55 national associations, as well as representatives of the European Club Association, European Leagues and FIFPro, the UEFA executive committee today announced that EURO 2020 will be postponed until summer 2021.
The competition will take place from 11th June to 11th July 2021. The UEFA EURO playoff matches, originally scheduled for March 2020, will be postponed until June 2020. The executive committee has also decided that any competitions that were scheduled to take place in June 2021 will also be rescheduled. This will affect the Nations League Final Four, as well as the Women’s European Championship and the U21 EUROs. An exact date for these events has yet to be determined.
Keller: “No alternative to postponing the EUROs”
“We would like to offer our thanks to all of society's key decision-makers in the worlds of politics, sport and business that are taking on responsibility during a difficult time that has created a host of never-before-seen challenges,” said DFB President Fritz Keller. “We can only overcome this crisis together if we act with solidarity. I want to offer my thanks to all those who, after being given very short notice, have done their part this past week to help postpone the 80,000 games that take place every weekend. By doing so, football did its part to help prevent the number of new infections from spreading. Our colleagues at UEFA, to whom we have a special connection given their role in organising EURO 2024, stepped up today and have delivered a plan for the 55 national associations. All that while knowing that everything that we decided upon today could very well need to be revised tomorrow or the day after. We now need to learn how to think about potential scenarios. There is no alternative to postponing the EUROs. Now is the time to make the health and well-being of all people, not just in Germany and in Europe, but around the world a priority. At the same time, we also need to start thinking about how football will continue on after the pandemic.”
Oliver Bierhoff, director of the national teams and DFB academy: “There is no guidebook for how to handle the current situation, and no empirical evidence to draw upon. As much as our young squad was looking forward to playing against Italy and Spain, as well as competing at EURO 2020 with its three home games in Munich, there is no other alternative available at this time. We are all well aware of the importance football has for our society - particularly in tough times, football has always been a source of common ground and unity. At the moment, it’s about harnessing the power of this common ground once again. The challenge we have at hand is to process the wide-ranging effects this decision will have on the footballing community and to work to find solutions. This is a topic that will have to preoccupy us across all levels for the next few weeks. I know that our national team players can also be role models during this time by exemplifying unity, trust in one another and, most importantly, for solidarity. We all need to get involved.”
Lahm: “It’s the right step”
Germany head coach Joachim Low: “We all need to look after everyone’s health and their lives, and this also applies in the case of football. Therefore it is completely correct and there is no other alternative but to postpone the EUROs. Our national team players have naturally been informed of the decision, and they are in contact with their clubs and team coaches. They are also in individual training until it is clear how to proceed with the situation. Of course, they would have loved to play at the EUROs in the summer, as they have worked so hard for it. Moreover, every athlete lives for these big games and for these big tournaments, which have the potential to inspire a country, a continent or even the world in the case of the World Cup.”
Philipp Lahm, CEO of DFB EURO GmbH: “The postponement of EURO 2020 is the right step given the current circumstances. We all love football, but in the face of the current pandemic we need to have new priorities, and preserving the good health of the people is of the highest priority and we need to work together to protect it. I appeal to everyone to follow the instructions of the health ministry, as we can only beat this crisis by working as a team.”
Fans who purchased tickets for EURO 2020 and have questions about reimbursing them should contact the UEFA offices. In addition to postponing the EUROs until next year, UEFA is aiming to have domestic and European club competitions conclude by 30th June 2020. This means that UEFA Champions League and Europa League competitions could also take place at the weekend. In addition, Bundesliga matches could take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which were previously reserved for European fixtures.
created by dfb/mmc
Following discussions with the 55 national associations, as well as representatives of the European Club Association, European Leagues and FIFPro, the UEFA executive committee today announced that EURO 2020 will be postponed until summer 2021.
The competition will take place from 11th June to 11th July 2021. The UEFA EURO playoff matches, originally scheduled for March 2020, will be postponed until June 2020. The executive committee has also decided that any competitions that were scheduled to take place in June 2021 will also be rescheduled. This will affect the Nations League Final Four, as well as the Women’s European Championship and the U21 EUROs. An exact date for these events has yet to be determined.
Keller: “No alternative to postponing the EUROs”
“We would like to offer our thanks to all of society's key decision-makers in the worlds of politics, sport and business that are taking on responsibility during a difficult time that has created a host of never-before-seen challenges,” said DFB President Fritz Keller. “We can only overcome this crisis together if we act with solidarity. I want to offer my thanks to all those who, after being given very short notice, have done their part this past week to help postpone the 80,000 games that take place every weekend. By doing so, football did its part to help prevent the number of new infections from spreading. Our colleagues at UEFA, to whom we have a special connection given their role in organising EURO 2024, stepped up today and have delivered a plan for the 55 national associations. All that while knowing that everything that we decided upon today could very well need to be revised tomorrow or the day after. We now need to learn how to think about potential scenarios. There is no alternative to postponing the EUROs. Now is the time to make the health and well-being of all people, not just in Germany and in Europe, but around the world a priority. At the same time, we also need to start thinking about how football will continue on after the pandemic.”
Oliver Bierhoff, director of the national teams and DFB academy: “There is no guidebook for how to handle the current situation, and no empirical evidence to draw upon. As much as our young squad was looking forward to playing against Italy and Spain, as well as competing at EURO 2020 with its three home games in Munich, there is no other alternative available at this time. We are all well aware of the importance football has for our society - particularly in tough times, football has always been a source of common ground and unity. At the moment, it’s about harnessing the power of this common ground once again. The challenge we have at hand is to process the wide-ranging effects this decision will have on the footballing community and to work to find solutions. This is a topic that will have to preoccupy us across all levels for the next few weeks. I know that our national team players can also be role models during this time by exemplifying unity, trust in one another and, most importantly, for solidarity. We all need to get involved.”
Lahm: “It’s the right step”
Germany head coach Joachim Low: “We all need to look after everyone’s health and their lives, and this also applies in the case of football. Therefore it is completely correct and there is no other alternative but to postpone the EUROs. Our national team players have naturally been informed of the decision, and they are in contact with their clubs and team coaches. They are also in individual training until it is clear how to proceed with the situation. Of course, they would have loved to play at the EUROs in the summer, as they have worked so hard for it. Moreover, every athlete lives for these big games and for these big tournaments, which have the potential to inspire a country, a continent or even the world in the case of the World Cup.”
Philipp Lahm, CEO of DFB EURO GmbH: “The postponement of EURO 2020 is the right step given the current circumstances. We all love football, but in the face of the current pandemic we need to have new priorities, and preserving the good health of the people is of the highest priority and we need to work together to protect it. I appeal to everyone to follow the instructions of the health ministry, as we can only beat this crisis by working as a team.”
Fans who purchased tickets for EURO 2020 and have questions about reimbursing them should contact the UEFA offices. In addition to postponing the EUROs until next year, UEFA is aiming to have domestic and European club competitions conclude by 30th June 2020. This means that UEFA Champions League and Europa League competitions could also take place at the weekend. In addition, Bundesliga matches could take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which were previously reserved for European fixtures.
