UEFA ExCo: What we learned about the Champions League, Europa League and Euro 2020
There was plenty to digest following UEFA's Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday.
European football's governing body finalised decisions for the completion of its 2019-20 club competitions, as well as details for its international competitions.
With so much to take in, we have broken down the key outcomes for the Champions League, Women's Champions League, Europa League, Euro 2020 and the Nations League.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:
- Lisbon will host an eight-team tournament between August 12 and 23, with the final to take place at Benfica's Estadio da Luz.
- The remaining last-16 ties will take place at venues yet to be determined. If Portugal hosts these matches as well, Porto and Guimaraes will host games if necessary.
- Quarter-final and semi-final contests will be played as single-leg ties as opposed to the traditional two-leg showdowns.
- The draw for the quarters and semis will take place at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon on July 10.
- Extra time and penalties will be used as deciders for matches ending in a draw and teams will be allowed to make five substitutions (as will those in the Europa League) in line with temporary changes to the Laws of the Game.
- Istanbul, which was supposed to host the showpiece game, will now be the final venue for 2021.
- Newly transferred players will not allowed to be registered for the remaining rounds.
- The group stages of the 2020-21 Champions League will be begin in October, with September traditionally the start date for the competition proper.
- Qualifying rounds for next season's Champions League and Europa League will be played as single-leg fixtures, bar the play-off round of the Champions League.
Your #UCL August calendar. pic.twitter.com/M7tjOXXjqo
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 17, 2020
EUROPA LEAGUE:
- Europe's secondary competition will take place as a straight knockout tournament from the quarter-finals onwards, with Germany to host matches between August 10 and 21.
- Matches will be played in Cologne, Duisburg, Dusseldorf and Gelsenkirchen.
- The six last-16 ties that have a second leg to be played will take place a venue yet to be concerned.
- The last-16 contests between Inter and Getafe, and Sevilla and Roma will be single-leg affairs.
- Gdansk will host the 2021 Europa League final, having been originally slated to put on this year's showpiece.
- The 2020 Super Cup will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on September 24. Porto was originally supposed to have the game.
- As with the Champions League, the Europa League group phase starts in October.
Your #UEL August. pic.twitter.com/MR93qTEnqn
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) June 17, 2020
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:
- Like the men's tournament, the Women's Champions League will be completed as a straight knockout tournament from the quarter-finals.
- Matches will take place in Spain, with the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao and the Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian putting on games between August 21 and 30.
- The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held in Nyon on June 26.
- Gothenburg will be the host venue for the 2021 final.
EURO 2020/NATIONS LEAGUE:
- All 12 original host cities for Euro 2020 will remain in place for the rescheduled tournament taking place next year.
- The updated match schedule was also approved by the ExCo and UEFA said all existing tickets purchased by supporters will remain valid.
- International windows in October and November 2020 will feature triple-headers so that postponed Euro 2020 play-off qualifiers can be played at the beginning of the respective windows on October 8 and November 12.
- Group-stage games for the 2020-21 Nations League will take place on the following dates: September 3/4/5 and 6/7/8; October 10/11 and 13/14; November 14/15 and 17/18.