Coronavirus has certainly been a hot topic of news in the last few weeks, but now UEFA are stepping up their attempts to control the spread via international and domestic football events.
UEFA are to Host a Conference Call to Discuss Potential Safeguarding Measures in Light of the Coronavirus
National Pandemic
In light of the Coronavirus, UEFA will host a conference call with each of the 55 member associations. The World Health Organisation has announced that the COVID-19 outbreak is now a pandemic and suggest countries, and organisations, be aggressive in their response to the disease.
The conference will take place on the 17th of March and will likely see changes to the current season. Discussions will include all domestic and European competitions, including UEFA EURO 2020. Sky Sports are reporting that UEFA are considering a suspension of both the Champions League and Europa League due to the virus.
Some Games to be Played Behind Closed Doors in a Bid to Slow the Spread of the Disease
The decision to play games behind close doors is causing some controversy. Some teams would prefer postponing games altogether. Wolves’ saw a request to postpone their fixture against Olympiakos rejected by UEFA. Pep Guardiola is also in favour of postponing games, saying “Does football work without spectators?”
The Premier League are currently monitoring the situation but are under pressure to react. Other European leagues like Serie A and La Liga have suspended games due to the virus. The Premier League and English Football League have maintained they will act upon government advice regarding the disease.
The Premier League is Preparing to Live Stream Matches as Restrictions Tighten
As the containment phase continues, the restrictions will become more intense. However, the Premier League is working out a new streaming schedule to allow supporters to continue to watch the games. The 3 pm blackout will still be enforced with timeslots being moved to allow for games to be shown.
In order to avoid large public gatherings, pubs will be unable to broadcast games. However, anyone who has a season ticket, or individual match ticket, will be able to stream the games live from their homes.
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