UEFA has a plan for Champions League final in late August

Pictures shows the ball before the UEFA Champions League, round of 16, first leg football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Liverpool FC at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on February 18, 2020. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

UEFA is hoping the Champions League final can be played at the end of August in Istanbul, three months after the competition’s showpiece was due to be staged.

The aim is to play the final on Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, a person familiar with the planning told The Associated Press on Thursday.

However, the person said that date is only feasible if European leagues are able to resume playing around July or August, an aspiration set out by UEFA in a letter sent out to clubs and national associations two weeks ago.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans ahead of next week’s UEFA talks.

Any planning to resume competitions is still only aspirational as large parts of Europe remain in lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Sport was largely shut down across the continent a month ago as governments banned mass gatherings.

The Champions League final was originally scheduled for May 30 before being postponed by UEFA on March 23.

The plan would be for the Champions League and Europa League to resume after the leagues are back up and running, having been suspended during the round of 16.

UEFA will discuss scenarios around completing the season and staging the Champions League final when it holds calls with national associations on Tuesday and its executive committee on Thursday.

No leading European league has set a date for when it plans to resume. UEFA has told all leagues not to prematurely end the season, as their teams’ qualification for next season’s European competitions could then be in jeopardy.