Coronavirus' impact on football may last years

LONDON • The coronavirus pandemic could disrupt football's international calendar for "two to three years", potentially hurting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Uefa executive committee member Lars-Christer Olsson has warned.

The Covid-19 disease, which has infected over 3.2 million people globally with 228,000 deaths as of yesterday, has wreaked havoc on the football calendar.

Euro 2020 has already been postponed to next year and national leagues and continental club competitions remain on hold.

While the Qatar World Cup is still some distance away - it is set to take place from Nov 21-Dec 18, 2022 - Olsson admitted everyone had to "wait and see" if there are implications for the tournament.

Asked during a Soccerex webinar how long he thought the international calendar could be affected, he said: "Probably two or three years.

"If the virus is developing in an even more serious way as it's been for the time being, there will definitely be a problem with the international calendar.

"When some of the competitions are moved from one year to another... and then the Qatar World Cup is coming in the middle of the European season and you have to squeeze in domestic and international competitions."

Olsson, who is also the president of the European Leagues, an organisation that represents more than 950 clubs in 29 countries, added that Uefa was planning to complete the Champions League and Europa League in August.

"If that would be possible, it would be fine because that would also mean that we can safeguard the integrity of the final phase of the current season of international football," he said.

"But of course, we have to take decisions about that at the end of May at least, because otherwise, it will probably not be possible to squeeze it in and also to qualify the clubs for the new season."

REUTERS