European Soccer’s Leaders Plot a Speedy Return, With or Without Fans

“It’s the simple reason everyone seems to realize we have to put greed aside and we have to work together,” Olsson said.

Restarting the games in time to finish various competitions will require a lot of good will and flexibility — not least from the players, some of whom will be out of contract in the likely event that games run beyond June.

FIFA, the global governing body, announced on Wednesday that it was assessing its rules on player contracts, understanding the need for “amendments or temporary dispensations.”

After Tuesday’s conference call, soccer leaders agreed to set up two committees: one to deal with the complex issues of devising a new short-term calendar, and another to focus on the various financial conundrums, including broadcasting contracts, sponsorships and UEFA’s cost-control regulations for clubs — requirements they must meet to be granted access to competitions like the Champions League.

UEFA has estimated that postponing the Euros by a year would create a $300 million hit, which could mean less money distributed to its 55 national soccer federations. That loss will probably have to be borne by UEFA reducing the amount it pays to clubs competing in the Champions League and Europa League, Olsson said.

A plan to introduce a third-tier European competition, the Europa Conference League, in 2021, will probably have to be scrapped, too, Olsson added. “Where will they find the money for that now,” he said.

Whatever happens, Olsson said, soccer will have changed after enduring its biggest crisis since World War II. “I think it will not look exactly like it does now,” he said.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/sports/soccer/uefa-schedule-liverpool-lazio-coronavirus.html