United States Edition Of El Clasico At Cancellation Risk Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

As a reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak, several summer tournaments have already been postponed.

In the soccer world, chief among them is Euro 2020. Reimagined via a special format, qualified European nations were to be pitted against one another in several cities around their continent in an attempt to take the crown from Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. That was until, on Tuesday, commissioning body Uefa held an emergency meeting and decided to put the spectacle back for a year until 2021.

Just hours later, on the same day, Conmebol then followed Uefa’s lead. Calling off the Copa America, which is to be co-hosted by Lionel Messi’s homeland Argentina and Colombia, the move could come as a blessing in disguise to South America’s stars who also contested the competition in 2015, 2016 and 2019 over the time that just one Euros has been contested.

Also playing for their countries at Russia 2018, the action is no less disappointing for fans, however, who will have to wait another 12 months to see who will come out on top and perhaps usurp holders Brazil.

With regards to club games, though, most European leagues have set themselves a target of wrapping up their current campaigns by the end of June, which is of course wishful thinking influenced by a presumption that fixtures will recommence on the weekend of April 3-5.

Yet even in the event that they do, the summer installment of El Clasico between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, tipped to take place at the Las Vegas Raiders’ new stadium in Paradise, Nevada is now in jeopardy, claims AS in Spain.

Relevant Sports, the company behind the International Champions Cup and the proposed friendly, has already canceled a portion of their games in Singapore. And while a member of senior management has admitted to AS that the Clasico’s fate is “up in the air”, there is still some hope that it can be enjoyed by US soccer fanatics.

“We are still planning the 2020 edition and we are adjusting to the new soccer calendars. We have to monitor the situation but we have to understand that it is changing very quickly. Health and safety will be our priorities,” it was stressed.

Earmarked to inaugurate the $1.84bn Allegiant Stadium, which would and still can be a historical occasion within itself, the clash would have been the second in history on US soil between the two La Liga giants after a 2017 Miami showdown that proved to be Neymar’s last in Blaugrana colors.

Generating just under $10mn alone, it goes without saying that Barca and Real Madrid’s failure to go ahead with their plans will have a negative economic impact.