UEFA pushes back key meeting to June due to Euro venue concerns

UEFA has postponed a potentially key meeting of its Executive Committee until June 17, European football’s governing body said on Monday.

The meeting was initially due to be held on May 27 but has been put back due to concerns surrounding some of the venues for the next European Championship.

UEFA cited “some remaining open points regarding a small number of proposed venues for the rearranged UEFA Euro 2020 next year.”

The Euro was pushed back by a year to June and July 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was due to be staged in 12 cities across 12 different European nations, but that format could be modified.

“The idea is that we stay in the same cities,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said in an interview with broadcaster beIN Sports last week.

“We have had conversations with nine cities and everything is set. With three cities, we have some issues.

“So we will discuss further, and in principle, we will do it in 12 cities. But if not, we are ready to do it in 10, nine or eight.”

The German Bundesliga became the first major European league to return over the weekend and UEFA remains hopeful of wrapping up the current club season in August, thereby liming the delay to the start of next season.

UEFA has been working on a potential scenario which would see domestic leagues being played out before the Champions League and Europa League are completed in August.

“We have a concrete plan of finishing the European season. Of course, this summer we will have to play without spectators at the stadiums,” Ceferin told beIN.

He added: “We have an idea but we have to wait for the Executive Committee of UEFA to confirm the dates.

“I can say that the European season will be finished, if everything is as it is now, in August.”