Sports
Champions, Europa leagues to end in ‘final eight’ format
This season’s Champions League and Europa League competitions will be completed in August with ‘final eight’ tournaments in Lisbon, Portugal and in cities across Germany.
The Women’s Champions League will also be a knockout tournament, in northern Spain between August 21-30.
Competitions were suspended in March because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
UEFA also confirmed that all 12 original host cities will stage matches in the delayed Euro 2020 finals.
That competition will now start on June 11, 2021. The outstanding play-off matches will be staged during the international windows starting on October 8 and November 12, respectively.
The Champions League will resume with the second-leg of the remaining last 16 games played on August 7and 8- Manchester City have yet to play their home leg against Real Madrid, Chelsea are away at Bayern Munich, Juventus are home to Lyon and Napoli are at Barcelona. UEFA said it has yet to decide whether to host the matches at the home grounds or at a neutral venue.
The subsequent knockout rounds will be single-leg affairs and will be hosted in Lisbon on August 12-23. The final has been scheduled for August 23 in the Portuguese capital.
Istanbul, originally appointed to stage the 2020 final, will now host the 2021 final.
The Europa League will resume from August 10. The remaining last 16 games will be played on August 5 and 6.
UEFA said: “A decision will be made in due course on whether these matches for which the first leg has already been played will be staged at the home team’s venue or in Germany.
“Inter Milan v Getafe and Sevilla v Roma, whose first leg was also postponed, will be played as a single leg at a venue to be confirmed.”
The Women’s Champions League, where Arsenal and Glasgow City have already reached the last eight, will be held in Bilbao and San Sebastian between August 21 and 30. The final will be in San Sebastian on August 30. –BBC
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and all the clubs participating in this weekend’s competitions will pay special tribute in honour of the memory of the late Dominic Frimpong of Berekum Chelsea FC (on loan from Aduana FC).
The GFA has in a statement announced that all the players and team officials of the 6 clubs playing this weekend competitions will wear black armbands on their jerseys as a mark of respect during their respective matches.
In addition, a minute of silence will be observed before the commencement of each game in his honour. This tribute will take place during the MTN FA Cup semi-final matches as well as the Women’s Premier League final scheduled for this weekend.
“The GFA counts on the full cooperation of all clubs and the fans in respectfully observing these arrangements as we collectively pay tribute to Dominic Frimpong,” the statement added.
The FA expressed appreciation to all stakeholders for their understanding and support in these times.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Daniel Laryea will handle the MTN FA Cup semifinal clash between Aduana FC and Nations FC at the Swedru Stadium on Friday, April 17, 2026.
Roland Addy will serve as Assistant I, with Seth Abletor as Assistant II, while Adaari Abdul Lattif works as 4th Referee.
The match is scheduled for a 3:00pm kick-off at the Swedru Stadium on Friday, April 17, 2026.
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