Leap year: UEFA admits error over 'Euro 2020' name for 2021 tournament

Lausanne: UEFA were forced into an embarrassing about-turn after they mistakenly tweeted that Euro 2020 would keep its original title despite being pushed back to 2021 as a result of the coronavirus.

"Although it will provisionally take place from 11 June - 11 July 2021, #EURO2020 will still be known as UEFA EURO 2020," UEFA had confidently said on Twitter on Friday.

However, just hours later, they were less assured.

"With apologies for the earlier error, to be clear no decision has yet been made on the name of the rearranged EURO to be held in 2021. The earlier tweet was sent by mistake," they tweeted.

Euro 2020 has been pushed back 12 months to June 11 to July 11 next year to clear the way for suspended domestic competitions to wrap up if conditions allow.

UEFA said the postponement "will help all domestic competitions, currently on hold due to the COVID-19 emergency, to be completed" as it made a "commitment" to finishing club seasons by June 30.

Twenty of the 24 nations set to take part in the Euro have already qualified, but play-offs to determine the final four participants, due to be played this month, have been postponed.

UEFA said those matches, and other scheduled friendlies, would be played in June subject to a review of the situation.