“Our plan remains the same: matches will be played across twelve host nations. If we end up losing one or two cities because of the pandemic, we can arrange to play matches elsewhere, and there are other scenarios on the table.” These were the words of UEFA Events CEO Martin Kallen, in an interview published in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung in which he explained the organisational difficulties and the economic repercussions resulting from the postponement of the European Championship, the first ever installment of the competition to be hosted in several nations.

The hope is that from now until the summer of 2021, the COVID-19 emergency will have subsided to the extent that the European Championship can start as planned on 11 June at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, with Italy facing Turkey. Kallen went on to  “Playing in one country would be much easier in times like these. In larger cities, like London for example, there are greater difficulties because they will be hosting the most events. But if the situation with the pandemic should worsen, London couldn't host the Euros. But we’ve already started selling tickets and hospitality packages for the tournament, and we’ve paid our suppliers. We’ve lost several hundred million euros, but we’re looking to minimise the damage.” And of course, it is hoped that it will be possible for stadiums to be full once more: “It would be really bad if the matches had to be played without fans," added Kallen.