Updated at 15.58

EURO 2020 HAS officially been postponed, Uefa have confirmed, with the tournament set to take place in 2021 instead.

Uefa representatives today met with various stakeholders on a video conference to discuss European football’s response to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, with Euro 2020 top of the agenda.

The tournament was due to take place from 12 June to 12 July this year at 12 venues across Europe; one of those Dublin.

Uefa are now planning for the tournament to take place from 11 June to 11 July 2021

Part of a statement from Uefa read: “The health of all those involved in the game is the priority, as well as to avoid placing any unnecessary pressure on national public services involved in staging matches. The move will help all domestic competitions, currently on hold due to the COVID-19 emergency, to be completed.”

Uefa added that all their competitions in men’s and women’s football have been put on hold “until further notice”. 

They added that Euro 2020 play-off matches, including Ireland’s semi-final against Slovakia, would now be played “at the start of June, subject to a review of the situation”.

There has been no official comment from Uefa on the fate of the World Cup qualifiers and the Women’s Euros, scheduled for the summer of 2021. However, a number of associations are saying those events will now be moved to 2022.

Mick McCarthy’s Ireland are yet to qualify, after their play-off was postponed. There was a succession plan in place for U21 manager Stephen Kenny to take over after the summer 2020 tournament.

The postponement now provides a chance for European leagues that have been suspended — including the Premier League — to be completed.

CONMEBOL also confirmed today that the Copa America, scheduled to take place this year, has been postponed until the summer of 2021.

Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy

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