2021 FIFA Club World Cup to move due to rescheduled Euro 2020

The inaugural 24-team FIFA Club World Cup originally for next year is set to move to accommodate the rescheduled UEFA 2020 European Championship and CONMEBOL 2020 Copa America national team competitions.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino arranged a conference call taking place on Wednesday where he will recommend that the global governing body’s Bureau of the Council accept the postponement of the two continental tournaments and move the expanded 2021 Club World Cup.

The expanded club tournament was meant to take place across eight cities in China from 17th June to 4th July next year in the calendar slot traditionally reserved for the FIFA Confederations Cup national team tournament.

However, UEFA and CONMEBOL, the respective continental confederations for Europe and South America, announced on Tuesday that their flagship national team tournaments would be postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, that created a clash with the 2021 Club World Cup.

FIFA will now wait until ‘there is more clarity on the situation’ to decide new dates for the Club World Cup, which Infantino said could take place later in 2021, in 2022 or even 2023.

Infantino, 49, also plans to arrange discussions with the Chinese Football Association (CFA), the national soccer body, and the Chinese government to ‘minimise any negative impact’ of a postponement.

In addition, FIFA will recommend that the ruling council make a AU$17.5 million to the World Health Organisation Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, while Infantino says the Zurich-based governing body will also discuss establishing a Global Football Assistance Fund to ‘help members of the football community affected by this crisis’.

‘The world is facing an unprecedented health challenge and clearly a global and collective response is needed,’ Infantino said in a statement.

‘Cooperation, mutual respect and understanding must be the guiding principles for all decision makers to have in mind at this crucial moment in time.

‘Particularly in football, finding appropriate and fair solutions at global level is imperative. This requires unity, solidarity and a shared sense of responsibility and we need to think of all those around the world potentially impacted by our decisions.

‘Finally, it goes without saying that FIFA will keep in regular contact with all members of the football community during this difficult period.

‘As I stated yesterday, challenging circumstances offer the opportunity for people to come together, show what they can do in a collective spirit, and emerge stronger and better prepared for the future. And this is what FIFA is aiming to do here.’

Infantino’s plans to push ahead with an expanded Club World Cup have previously created tension between FIFA and UEFA given the threat the reimagined tournament could impact the value of the UEFA Champions League.

However, those differences appear to have been put to one side as the global soccer industry attempts to implement a unified response to the coronavirus outbreak.

UEFA’s decision to postpone Euro 2020, along with the Copa America due to begin on 12th June, was taken to free up more time for Europe’s domestic soccer leagues to complete their current seasons, the majority of which have now been put on hold.

The move could yet have implications for the UEFA 2021 Women’s European Championship, which is due to get underway on 7th July next year, four days before the new date for the final of the men’s competition.

UEFA is yet to confirm the fate of the tournament, although the governing body’s president Aleksander Čeferin told the Associated Press that postponing the tournament until 2022 is “one of the possibilities” and “one of the most likely to happen”.

“We are thinking of postponing this Women’s Euro as well and Under-21 championship as well,” he said.

“We will have to postpone both because I don’t think that we should cannibalise the women’s Euro with the men’s Euro just one month before.”

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Football Victoria Celebrates Construction Start on Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park Redevelopment

Football Victoria welcomes the start of construction on the Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park redevelopment, a major boost for football in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland, funded by the Victorian Government’s Regional Sports Infrastructure Program.

Construction getting underway with head contractor Building Engineering marks a major milestone in creating a modern, inclusive, and top-quality home for football in the region.

Lachlan Cole, FV’s Head of Government Relations & Strategy, said the upgraded Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park is a flagship project that will provide local clubs and the wider Latrobe Valley football community with top-quality facilities and boost Gippsland’s ability to host regional tournaments and events.

“This is a crown jewel project for regional football in Victoria,” he said in a press release

“The upgraded Gippsland Sports & Entertainment Park will ensure that local clubs like Falcons 2000, Gippsland United FC and the wider Latrobe Valley football community have the facilities they deserve to grow and thrive, while strengthens Gippsland’s capacity to host regional tournaments and showcase events.”

The GSEP site holds a special place in Victoria’s football history, from the proud legacy of the former Morwell Falcons SC in the old NSL, to the lasting impact of the late Don Di Fabrizio OAM, a respected community figure who led the club as president from 1969 to 1994 and served as a Commissioner for the Australian Soccer Federation (ASF).

In honour of his legacy, the new grandstand pavilion will continue to carry Di Fabrizio’s name, acknowledging his significant contributions to the local football community.

The redevelopment will feature a new grandstand pavilion with accessible change rooms and facilities, upgraded pitches with improved lighting, a new change facility, and expanded parking. The project is also expected to boost the local economy through job creation and new opportunities for local businesses during and after the construction phase.

Cole also stated that Football Victoria is proud to partner with the government and the local football community on this upgrade, and thanked key ministers and agencies whose support has been vital in getting the project underway.

“Football Victoria is proud to partner with key government stakeholders and the local football community on this transformative upgrade,” he said.

“We thank Minister Shing, Minister Spence, and the Allan Labor Government for their continued investment in football and regional sport infrastructure.

“The vision and support of Sport and Recreation Victoria, Development Victoria, and Latrobe City Council has been instrumental in getting this project off the ground.”

The upgraded precinct will remain a central hub for the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, the Gippsland Referees Branch, and the next generation of regional football talent, supporting both community football and Football Victoria pathways and events.

Football Victoria looks forward to the project’s completion in late 2026 and the lasting impact this investment will have on Gippsland football for years to come.

RB Leipzig to introduce virtual perimeter advertising for international broadcasts

RB Leipzig has announced plans to implement cutting-edge virtual perimeter advertising technology from the 2025/26 season, creating fresh opportunities for its partners in international marketing.

This innovative solution will allow advertising messages displayed during RB Leipzig’s international Bundesliga broadcasts to be tailored to specific regional audiences across the globe.

For fans inside the stadium and those watching on German television, the perimeter advertising will remain unchanged. However, in the international broadcast feed, dynamic digital overlays will enable brands to deliver customised content in the relevant language for each target market.

The use of virtual advertising will allow RB Leipzig’s partners to adapt their campaigns regionally, communicating directly with international audiences in a way that resonates locally.

The system works via a software-based, automated process, requiring no additional technical setup within the stadium.

This seamless solution ensures that the club can maximise the visibility of its sponsors globally without disrupting the live experience for fans on the ground.

By leveraging this technology, RB Leipzig is strengthening its global sponsorship offering and unlocking new potential in international markets, reinforcing the club’s position as an innovator both on and off the pitch.

Matthias Reichwald, Chief Commercial Officer RB Leipzig spoke about the logistics of the virtual perimeter advertising technology.

“With virtual perimeter advertising, we can better meet the growing international interest in RB Leipzig,” Reichwald said in press release

“At the same time, we are creating tailored, flexible opportunities for international marketing, both for existing partners and for new ones.

“We are also helping to strengthen the Bundesliga’s presence in global markets and are once again taking responsibility in this area.”

Dominik Scholler, VP Product Management and Innovation, DFL GmbH, echoed a similar sentiment about the deal.

“As the DFL, we support Bundesliga clubs like RB Leipzig in the introduction of virtual perimeter advertising, which enables targeted, market-specific communication with international audiences,” Scholler said in a press release.

“Thanks to a software-based technical solution, the advertising boards at the Red Bull Arena can be digitally adapted for the world feed and international viewers in real time without the need for additional equipment or staff inside the stadium.

“This innovative approach, based on close collaboration between clubs and the DFL, is a positive contribution to the international marketing of the Bundesliga.”

This innovation positions RB Leipzig as a leader in global sports marketing, offering partners smarter, more targeted ways to engage international audiences.

This point of difference could revolutionise the way advertising is viewed on broadcasts in the future.

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