Fifa president Gianni Infantino says next month’s international matches could be postponed should the Coronavirus outbreak worsen.
A host of sporting fixtures have already been postponed or cancelled outright in recent weeks, including several Serie A matches in Italy, the worst affected European country, and Ireland’s Six Nations clash with the same nation.
England are due to face Italy, as well as Denmark, in friendlies next month, and should they be called off it would be a significant disruption to Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 preparations, with the Three Lions boss expected to name his squad towards the end of May, before the final pre-tournament warm-ups.
Wholesale postponements would also leave Uefa with a major logistical headache regarding its final qualifying playoffs, featuring Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which are set for the March window.
Londoners wear Coronavirus masks - In pictures
And while Infantino remains optimistic it will be business as usual, he says the game’s global governing body are not ruling anything out.
“I wouldn’t exclude anything at this moment,” he said. “People’s health is much more important than any game.
“That's why we have to look at the situation and hope that it will decrease rather than increase. At the moment it looks like it is still increasing.
"If games have to be postponed or played without spectators until it is over, then we have to go through that."
