Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell admits it’s “difficult to envisage” the coronavirus outbreak allowing Scotland to play their Nations League qualifier against Israel in June.
UEFA today announced Euro 2020 has been pushed back to next summer due to the pandemic and, with football suspended around Europe, play-off matches giving teams like the Scots a final chance to qualify scheduled for later this month will now be played in June at the earliest.
Following a conference call involving all 55 member nations, Maxwell said: “There are a number of countries involved in the play-offs, the virus is at various stages across the world and there may be some countries who see themselves coming out of that situation a little bit quicker than others.
Scottish FA Chief Executive Ian Maxwell reacts to today's UEFA Executive Committee decision to postpone EURO 2020.pic.twitter.com/gguhEkoZLs
— Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) March 17, 2020
“We will take advice from the medical teams, liase with UEFA. Whether we can get the game played in June will be up for debate.
“We’d like to think so, but it’s probably unlikely at this point.”
Meanwhile, Maxwell said it will be impossible for the Aberdeen v Celtic and Hearts v Hibs Scottish Cup semi-finals to be played on April 11 and 12. They will be suspended alongside the rest of the domestic game and “rescheduled as soon as possible”.