Uefa determined to host Euro 2020 in 12 countries despite Covid concerns
The governing body also addressed the presence of crowds at this summer’s tournament
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Your support makes all the difference.Uefa has stressed its commitment to hosting Euro 2020 across 12 host cities in 12 different countries this summer despite Covid-19 concerns.
The tournament was originally set to be held last summer but was delayed amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. It is now due to take place between 11 June and 11 July this year.
Plans for the competition to be staged across 12 cities in 12 different countries have come under threat, however, due to Covid-19 concerns.
But Uefa has now reaffirmed its intentions to go ahead with the hosting format.
In a statement released on Wednesday, European football’s governing body said: “Uefa officials today met representatives of the 12 host associations/organisers of Uefa Euro 2020, in a routine meeting to discuss operational matters relating to the tournament, which is to be staged in the summer.
“Uefa repeated its commitment to holding the Euro across the 12 cities according to the timetable that has already been published.
“All parties recognise the need for flexibility around decisions to be made on the arrangements for the tournament, in order to reflect the different challenges and circumstances that cities find themselves in. As a result of that and the fast-changing nature of the situation around the pandemic, the deadline for the submission of plans to accommodate fans inside the stadiums has been moved to early April.”
The news follows The Independent’s report on Tuesday that Uefa was set to push ahead with its existing plans around the hosting format. The cities set to host the competition are: Amsterdam (Netherlands); Baku (Azerbaijan); Bilbao (Spain); Bucharest (Romania); Budapest (Hungary); Copenhagen (Denmark); Dublin (Ireland); Glasgow (Scotland); London (England); Munich (Germany); Rome (Italy); and Saint Petersburg (Russia).
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin added on Wednesday: “I am optimistic that things are highly likely to be very different with regard to the virus as we move closer to the tournament and it is important that we give the host cities and governments as much time as we can to formulate an accurate picture of what will be possible come June and July.”
Ceferin also mentioned the possibility of crowds attending the tournament, saying: “Fans are such a big part of what makes football special and that is true of the Euros as much as it is of any game. We must allow ourselves the maximum space to allow their return to the stadiums.”
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