UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin says he is optimistic that the Euro 2020 finals, postponed until 2021, can be played with fans in the stadiums across Europe next June, but admits several scenarios are being explored due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“For the moment, we are planning the Euro exactly as we want it to be,” Ceferin told German broadcaster ARD when asked about fans attending games at 12 host stadiums despite numbers of Corvid-19 positive test cases rising across Europe. If you had asked me in February if I was prepared for a pandemic that would stop the world, I would have said you were crazy…But now we are well prepared and are fully aware that anything can happen.”
However, as a precaution, the Slovenian UEFA Chief said European Footballs governing body is “Well prepared” to use different scenarios or the finals, postponed until June 11-July 11, 2021.
He also further added that the tournament could be slimmed down from 12 host venues, stressing “We were not thinking about it now, but we could implement different things.
Ceferin admitted the idea of a European Championship spread out in stadiums across the continent is “symbolically in a nice thing, but not an easy task for us, even regardless of the pandemic.”
The idea to spread the finals across Europe was the brainchild of his disgraced predecessor Michel Platini and Ceferin admitted “I don’t think I would support that again”.
However, the 53-year old stressed “It’s a big challenge, but I am sure the Euro will be played next year.”
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