UEFA confirm changes to Champions League schedule

Liam Watson

UEFA has outlined the changes required to get the 2019/20 Champions League completed, with Portugal chosen as the destination for remaining fixtures.

Benfica’s Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica (also hosting the final) and Sporting CP’s Estádio José Alvalade have been named as the two venues set to stage the remaining matches.

Champions League quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will be played as straight knockout tournament games and as single-legs, to speed up the conclusion of this season which has been on hold since March 11th.

There has yet to be decision about how the incomplete round of 16 second legs will play out, which could be at the home team’s stadium or in Portugal. If the latter, it is thought that the Estádio do Dragão in Porto and the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães will host the four remaining second legs if required.

At this stage, UEFA has outlined the following dates of each round remaining in the competition:

7-8 August: Round of 16 second legs (venues to be confirmed)
12-15 August: Quarter-finals (Lisbon)
18-19 August: Semi-finals (Lisbon)
23 August: Final (Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Lisbon)

The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held on July 10th 2020 at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon.

Due to the unprecedented circumstances, there has been a slight changes about upcoming UEFA Champions League finals. The 2019/20 decider was meant to be at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, but will instead be moved forward to next year. As such, the three subsequent final hosts have agreed to move forward a year later to accommodate, with details below:

2020: Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Lisbon, Portugal
2021: Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey
2022: Saint Petersburg Stadium, Saint Petersburg, Russia
2023: Football Arena Munich, Munich, Germany
2024: Wembley Stadium, London, England

Before the Champions League was put on hold, half of the round of 16 ties were completed. Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, RB Leipzig and Atalanta made it through to the quarter-finals.

The round of 16 second legs yet to be played are Juventus vs Lyon (0-1), Manchester City vs Real Madrid (2-1), Bayern vs Chelsea (3-0) and Barcelona vs Napoli (1-1).

Previous ArticleNext Article

Football Australia Announces Broadcasting Partnership with LIGR

Avatar
Image credit: Preston Lions FC

Football Australia has unveiled a partnership with Live Graphics Systems (LIGR) to establish a world-first centralised production and distribution model for over 3,500 matches annually across multiple competition tiers.

This ambitious undertaking is set to transform sports broadcasting efficiency whilst unlocking future commercial opportunities for Football Australia and its nine State and Territory Member Federations.

The collaboration comes as Football Australia prepares to kick off the Australian Championship this October.

In mid-2024, Football Australia began developing a new production strategy, defining requirements across multiple tiers of Australian football.

The strategy encompasses the Hahn Australia Cup, NSD and the top tier of Federation Competitions for both men and women (National Premier Leagues), Futsal and National Para-Football Championships included as well.

LIGR’s appointment followed a rigorous Request for Proposal (RFP) process, led by Football Australia in alliance with Member Federations, aimed at identifying a single partner capable of managing the complex scale.

LIGR, an Australian tech business recently acquired by European-based tech company Crionet, will provide technical and operational broadcast management, live monitoring and AI integration across Football Australia’s multi and single camera productions.

Additionally, LIGR’s world-leading streaming, graphics and highlights automation platform will enable seamless integration of key sponsors on broadcasts.

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson, highlighted the significance of the partnership.

“This partnership marks a defining moment in Australian football and represents a paradigm shift in the way the game is produced, distributed and commercialised both in Australia and abroad,” Johnson explained via Football Australia official press release.

“By unifying production across thousands of games and multiple tiers of competition, we are not only streamlining operations but also reshaping the future of football broadcasting in this country. This is innovation at scale.

“Through this centralised model, we are building long-term operational and cost efficiencies and can focus on building sustainable revenue streams for the connected football pyramid.”

Luke McCoy, CEO of LIGR, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership.

“At Crionet and LIGR, our mission is to disrupt the traditional sports production, streaming, and distribution landscape,” McCoy commented via Football Australia’s official press release.

“Our partnership with Football Australia and its State and Territory Member Federations represents a groundbreaking shift towards a truly aggregated model, marking a significant milestone for sports coverage in Australia.

“Our cutting-edge technology and innovative approach sets us apart, and we are excited to elevate the game, enhance fan engagement, and drive innovation across all levels of the sport.”

This multi-tier integration represents an unprecedented approach, as no other Australian rights holder has consolidated production across such a diverse range of competitions under a single centralised model.

This new centralised approach will allow the sport to optimise its production workflows and unlock new commercial opportunities in the evolving broadcast and streaming landscape.

An exciting development in increasing viewership and commercial viability for, as Football Australia’s 2024 National Participation Report confirmed, the most popular and fastest growing sport in the country.

Sydney FC and Arnotts Collaboration Enhances Team Spirit

Avatar
Sydney Arnotts
Image Credit: Sydney FC

Sydney FC have announced an impressive partnership with iconic Australian brand, Arnotts.

The collaboration will see Arnotts’ branding feature in a highly visible location on the back of the Sydney FC Men’s team shorts for the rest of the A-League 2024/25 season.

Sydney FC CEO Mark Aubrey expressed how valuable the partnership was to the Sky Blues.

“We are thrilled to bring Arnott’s on board as an official partner of Sydney FC,” he said via press release.

“This is a brilliant alignment between two recognised brands that specialise in creating moments that matter.”

We also both value the importance of a high performance, high integrity environment as well as standing for equality and diversity.

“I hope this will be the beginning of a long and trusted partnership, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.”

From the collaboration, both Sydney FC and Arnotts will work on a special content series featuring the “Arnotts Moments Matter” campaign.

Arnotts Group CMO Jenni Dill highlighted how excited the organisation was for the partnership.

“This partnership builds on Arnott’s desire to support Australian’s on and off the football field with healthier and delicious lunch and snacking choices,” she said in a press release.

“Whether it’s a Vita-Weat with your favourite lunchtime toppings, or a pack of Snack Right Puffs on the way to game, we look forward to inspiring Sydney FC players and fans with more tasty and convenient ways to enjoy a snack or lunch.”

Further highlighting the importance of the brand deal, Arnotts branding will not only feature on the Sydney FC Men’s kit but will also appear on the LED screens on matchdays, presenting with Arnotts with highly desirable marketing material.

The Arnotts-Sydney FC partnership is yet another major landmark deal for the club in recent months, adding to collaborations with Guaraná Antarctica and WHEN Fertility.

 

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend