AMSTERDAM: UEFA has set up a working group with the European Leagues association to handle any fixture fall-out caused by coronavirus related postponements.

With Euro 2020 qualifying playoffs pencilled in for later this month, as well as knock-out rounds in the Champions League and Europa League, UEFA admit it will be tough to reschedule games.

“We met with the European Leagues yesterday to create a coordination group to face the situation and find the best possible solutions,” said UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis at UEFA’s congress on Tuesday.

“From our side we are addressing the situation by making contact with the WHO (World Health Organisation) and different governments. We dont want to over-react but have a line of contact,” he said.

“The calendar is congested and it is difficult to find space, working together is where we will find solutions,” he said.

UEFA’s flagship competition, Euro 2020, will be held from June in 12 cities across Europe but for the moment Theodoridis says the organisation is focused on the March games.

“We have been working on different scenarios. The Euros start in June. We have matches coming in next weeks. We dont want to share further details. The more urgent matters are coming in next two weeks. But there are plans for everything,” he said.

During the congress, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had said “it is important to work with authorities but not to panic” but Swiss FA president Dominique Blanc warned of serious consequences to the sport.

“Due to the coronavirus we are in a situation that could shake, for a part of us, professional football to its foundations,” he told the congress.

The Swiss league (SFL) has been put on hold until at least March 23 because of the coronavirus outbreak after the clubs rejected the possibility of playing matches behind closed doors.

Switzerland, which has had at least two dozen confirmed cases, introduced a ban on Friday on events expected to draw 1,000 people or more until March 15 in an effort to combat the coronavirus.

In response, the Swiss League called off all matches in the top two divisions and Saturday and Sunday and it has now extended the ban to the international break at the end of March.

The Europa League has already been hit with Inter Milan’s home game against Bulgarian club Ludogorets Razgrad last week played without fans.

UEFA will be keen to ensure there is no impact on the Euros, which is worth around $2 billion in revenue.

COVID-19 has been detected in 76 countries worldwide, killing over 3,000 people with Italy the worst-hit nation in Europe.

The Italian capital Rome is one of 12 venues across the continent set to host matches at the European Championship in June and July.

Games in Italy’s Serie A have been postponed in recent days to avoid spreading the virus.

The stadium that will be used most at Euro 2020 is Wembley, with seven games including the semifinals and the final. No games in England have been affected yet by the virus.

“You don’t know how many concerns we have when we organise a big competition,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said at a press conference. “We have security concerns, we have political instability concerns, and one of the concerns is also the virus, and we are dealing with it and we are confident we can deal with it.”

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2020