Soccer-Romanian FA to ask UEFA for Euro 2020 postponement

Romania's football federation (FRF) said on Monday it will ask UEFA to postpone the Euro 2020 tournament over the coronavirus outbreak during an emergency video-conference call organised by European soccer's governing body on Tuesday.

The Romanian capital Bucharest is one of the 12 host cities for the tournament which is scheduled for June 12 to July 12. "Protecting the football family and active participation in the measures recommended by the Romanian government and international authorities for the protection of public health is one of the FRF's main responsibilities at this moment," FRF said in a statement.

FRF President Razvan Burleanu, who will take part in the video-conference call, will ask UEFA to postpone the European Championship, saying such a move would allow competitions at national level to be concluded. The Italian FA said on Sunday that it would ask for Euro 2020 to be postponed in the hope of being able to complete the Serie A season.

The FRF has suspended all matches in the country because of the coronavirus outbreak. Romania confirmed last month its first case of coronavirus in a man from the southern county of Gorj and more than 160 other cases have been reported since. Top-flight football across Europe has ground to a halt as a result of the spread of the coronavirus, with national and continental club competitions suspended or postponed.

Romania are due to face Iceland in a Euro 2020 qualifying playoff semi-final on March 26 for a place in the Path A final against Bulgaria or Hungary. The winners will go into Group C at the tournament alongside Netherlands, Ukraine and Austria.

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