UEFA softening on seasons being cancelled

Previously, European football's governing body had warned leagues finishing early without permission could be barred from next season's Champions League and Europa League.

They still share the Premier League and Football League view that it would be better to play the competitions out, but struck a more conciliatory tone after Tuesday's video conference with national associations.

"There was a strong recommendation given to finish domestic top division and cup competitions, but some special cases will be heard once guidelines concerning participation (in) European competitions – in case of a cancelled league – have been developed," read a UEFA statement.

They are drawing up possible plans to restart 2019-20, all starting in June and with the Champions League final on August 29.

The current plan is to play next season's Champions League and Europa League as normal, but delaying the completion of domestic leagues could have a knock-on effect on qualification.

Leeds United and Rotherham United, in the automatic promotion places in the Championship and League One respectively, will be particularly keen not to see their seasons voided, denying them a step up next term. However, if the campaign did finish early, they could still be promoted if final placings were decided by points per game.

The working group responsible for a revised fixture calendar will meet on Wednesday, with UEFA's executive committee due to meet on Thursday, when they are expected to push the Women's European Championship back a yera to avoid an overlap with the men's version.

The competition, which features group and knockout games at Sheffield's Bramall Lane and Rotherham's New York Stadium, had been scheduled for the summer of 2021.

But once the men's tournament was pushed back until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, its final games – also due to be played in England – would have encroached on the first week of the women's competition. UEFA's executive committee meeting tomorrow is expected to change that and allow more time for qualifying matches.

The women's tournament will now be slightly more spread out, starting on July 6 at Old Trafford, and concluding at Wembley on 31st.

Brentford, Brighton, Leigh Sports Village, the Manchester City Academy Stadium, Milton Keynes and Southampton are also venues.

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