Middle East war cast shadow on Finalissima

Image: Qatar 2022

The Finalissima between Argentina and Spain have been canceled because of the war in the Middle East.

‘BBC SPORT’ stated that the European champions Spain were set to play the Copa América champions Argentina in Qatar on March 26^th.

The Finalissima, formerly known as the European/South American Nations Cup and also called the Artemio Franchi Cup, is an intercontinental football match organized by the CONMEBOL and the UEFA and contested by the winners of the Copa América and EUROS.

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is the continental governing body of football in South America and it is one of FIFA’s six continental confederations. The oldest continental confederation in the world its headquarters are located in Luque, Paraguay. The CONMEBOL is responsible for the organization and governance of South American football’s major international tournaments.

Nyon (Switzerland)-based the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Russia (suspended), Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan as well as the West Asian countries of Cyprus, Armenia and Israel. The UEFA consists of 55 national association members. After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine the FIFA and the UEFA suspended all the Russian national teams and clubs from any FIFA and UEFA competitions.

The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the EURO or EUROS, is the primary association football tournament organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition is contested by the UEFA Members’ senior Men’s national teams determining the continental champion of Europe. It is the second-most watched football tournament in the world after the FIFA World Cup™.

The CONMEBOL Copa América, often simply called the Copa América, is the top Men’s quadrennial football tournament contested among the national teams from South America. It is the oldest still-running continental football competition.

‘BBC SPORT’ further stated that the UEFA said the proposals to hold the match at the LaLiga team – the Real Madrid CF’s home digs – the 83,186-capacity Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain – or play a two-legged game in Madrid and Buenos Aires were rejected by Argentina.

The UEFA said, “Due to the current political situation in the region the Finalissima cannot be played as hoped in Qatar. The UEFA explored other feasible alternatives but each ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association (the governing body of football in Argentina).”

A joint statement from CONMEBOL – the governing body of football in South America – and the Argentine Football Association – said they offered an alternative date of March 31^st but it was not accepted.

The statement read, “The AFA received a proposal to hold the match at a neutral venue, Italy, on March 27^th. Argentina accepted the idea without objection except for the date suggesting March 31^st. Unfortunately, the UEFA announced that holding the match on the 31^st – just four days later than the original proposal – was not possible and the Finalissima was canceled.”

The UEFA said, “Argentina made a counter suggestion to play the game after the World Cup but, as Spain has no available dates, that option had to be ruled out.”

The Spanish Football Association said that externally it had “worked intensively” to get the game on in any format possible, whether in Spain or at a neutral venue.

The Spanish Football Association added, “Spain was prepared to play as it has always been stated. They set no conditions. Spain, together with the UEFA, has offered all possibilities.”

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is the governing body of football in Spain. Founded on September 29^th, 1913, it is based in La Ciudad del Fútbol of Las Rozas, a Municipality near Madrid, Spain.

On March 14^th the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grands Prix due to be held in April were canceled.

The Formula 1 said it was not safe to stage the races because of the conflict across the region.

London (UK)-based the Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for the open-wheel, single-seater formula racing cars run by the Formula One Group and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

London (UK)-based the Formula One Group is a group of companies responsible for the promotion of the FIA’s Formula One World Championship and the exercising of the sport’s commercial rights.

Paris (France)-based the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) is an international organization with two primary functions surrounding use of the automobile. Its Mobility Division advocates the interests of the motoring organizations, the automotive industry and the motor car users in the fields of road safety and traffic circulation. The Sport Division is a governing body for many international motorsport championships and disciplines including Formula One.

The Finalissima, which is staged every four years and is organized by the UEFA and the CONMEBOL, was last won by Argentina which was held at the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London (UK) in 2022.

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