By Philip O’Connor

(REUTERS) – The Euro 2020 soccer Championship, trumpeted as a continent-wide feast of football from Dublin to Baku to mark UEFA’s 60th anniversary, was postponed for a year yesterday as the coronavirus pandemic claimed its biggest sporting casualty yet.

The fate of the 24-nation, month-long showpiece due to start in June had hung in the balance ever since Europe’s domestic leagues shut down in the wake of the sweeping health crisis, which has killed around 7 000 persons worldwide.

UEFA relayed the news after an emergency video conference with all 55 of its affiliated national federations and representatives from clubs and leagues.

“It was important that, as the governing body of European football, UEFA led the process and made the biggest sacrifice,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement confirming what the Norwegian and Swedish FAs had leaked earlier.

“We are at the helm of a sport that vast numbers of people live and breathe that has been laid low by this invisible and fast-moving opponent. At times like these, the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity.”

Even as the video conference was ongoing, Norway’s FA broke ranks to confirm via Twitter that the tournament had been postponed for the first time in its history. Swedish FA chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson also sent a message to Reuters during the video conference. “Postponed until 11/6 – 11/7 2021,” he said.

UEFA confirmed those dates shortly after.

On a frantic day for soccer organisers, South American confederation CONMEBOL agreed to delay this year’s Copa America, due to take place in Argentina and Colombia, to 2021.

With normal life on hold in Europe, UEFA’s decision was widely expected, not least because of pressure from Europe’s powerful domestic leagues wrestling with the nightmare scenario of incomplete competitions.

“The move will help all domestic competitions, currently on hold due to the COVID-19 emergency, to be completed,” UEFA said.

Sixteen playoff matches were due to be held on March 26 and 31 to decide the full line-up of nations for Europe’s once every four-year flagship tournament – second only to FIFA’s World Cup in terms of prestige in soccer.

They could now be played in the international window at the start of June, subject to a UEFA review, while all other UEFA competitions and matches are on hold.

The new coronavirus has infected almost 180 000 people worldwide since emerging in China, and most of Europe is in lockdown in a desperate bid to stem its advance.

All five of Europe’s top domestic soccer leagues – England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany – are suspended, along with the Champions League, Europa League and World Cup qualifiers.

With the Euros and Copa America postponed, however, it provides a window for domestic competitions to resume and reach their conclusions even as late as July or August.

Leagues had urged UEFA to give priority to completing domestic competitions, as clubs throughout Europe feared they would lose ticket and match-day revenue by not completing the season while still having to pay player salaries.

“UEFA tabled a range of options so that competitions can finish this season safely, and I am proud of the response of my colleagues across European football,” Ceferin said.

Many South American players play for top European clubs, one factor in CONMEBOL shifting Copa America.

“This means that clubs and leagues in Europe will have as little disruption as possible in the availability of their players,” he said. “These coordinated and responsible decisions are deeply appreciated by the European football community.”

While the domestic leagues welcome the news, next year’s calendar looks challenging to say the least.

The Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon takes place in January/February, the women’s European Championship is due to be held in England in the summer, while FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup in China, featuring eight European clubs, is pencilled for June 17 – July 4, in the middle of the Euros and Copa America. World Cup 2022 qualifiers will also be starting.

For now, however, there is a sense of togetherness from the federations about tackling an emergency that transcends soccer.

“In the big picture, football is a really small matter,” Tim Sparv, captain of tournament debutants Finland, said.

“Now it’s about life and death and trying to control the spread of the virus, so it’s a good decision.”

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman said: “It’s a pity (that Euro 2020 has been postponed) but football is not the important thing in life right now. I had anticipated it would not happen.”

The European Championship originated in 1960 with a four-nation finals in which the Soviet Union beat Yugoslavia to lift the trophy. It evolved into an eight-nation tournament in 1980 and in 1996, when it was held in England, it grew to 16 teams.

The most recent edition in 2016, again in France, included 24 nations for the first time. The final, in which Portugal beat the hosts, was watched by a television audience of 284 million.

The 2020 edition, brainchild of former UEFA president Michel Platini, was supposed to be the first staged across the continent, rather than by single or joint-host nations.

The host cities are Glasgow, Dublin, Bilbao, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Munich, Rome, St Petersburg, Bucharest, Budapest and Baku, with the climax set for London’s Wembley Stadium.