UEFA has postponed Euro 2020 until 2021 due to the coronavirus.

“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,” said the UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. “It is at times like these, that the football community needs to show responsibility, unity, solidarity and altruism.

“The health of fans, staff and players has to be our No 1 priority and in that spirit, 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. There was a real spirit of co-operation, with everyone recognizing that they had to sacrifice something in order to achieve the best result.”

The postponement of the Euros potentially frees a month this summer to try to finish club competitions, which the Premier League, EFL and all European leagues hope to do.