Uefa refuse to scrap Nations League and could play three matches per window next season

Uefa are discussing the possibility of extending international windows to three matches next season but will resist any moves to scrap the Nations League.

Euro 2020 has already been put back by 12 months to next summer as the focus centres on trying to complete domestic calendars and Europa League and Champions League ties.

But Uefa are stepping up efforts this week to reorganise a congested international programme during what is likely to be a truncated next season as a result of the chaos wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic.

Uefa’s national teams competition committee were meeting on Monday to discuss the possibility of countries playing three games, rather than two, during slightly lengthened international windows.

That could involve England and other national teams playing matches on a Wednesday, Saturday and Tuesday or a Thursday, Sunday and Wednesday next season.

The committee is chaired by Sandor Csanyi, a billionaire Hungarian businessman and the president of the Hungarian Football Federation, although it would be for Uefa’s Executive Committee to ratify any proposals to change the current set-up. The ExCo are next due to meet on May 27.

However, it is understood that, despite a potential backlog of fixtures and a raft of international tournaments to accommodate, Uefa have no plans to ditch the Nations League and remain committed to staging the tournament.

England have been paired in Group A2 with Belgium, Denmark and Iceland and are due to play their first fixtures against Iceland on Sept 5 and then Denmark three days later. Gareth Southgate’s side also have games scheduled for October and November.

The Nations League finals are due to take place between June 2 and June 6 in what is currently an overly congested summer schedule.

As well as the rescheduled men’s Euros between June 11 and July 11, 2021, Uefa have the women’s European Championships in England, which is due to commence on July 7, and the men Under-21s Euros, co-hosted by Hungary and Slovenia, between June 9 and June 26.

The Ex-Co are expected to announce any changes to the schedules for those tournaments after their meeting later this month.

Uefa’s working party group are due to meet on Tuesday for further discussions over how to conclude the Champions League and Europa League by Aug 31. As revealed by Telegraph Sport last month, the 2020 Champions League final has been tentatively earmarked for Aug 29, but Uefa are understood to be open to playing the quarter-finals and semi-finals over two legs, instead of one, with the window of opportunity continuing to narrow.

There have been no suggestions put forward at this stage for Europa League and Champions League knockout ties next season to be played over one leg, although that could change in time.