How the COVID-19 Pandemic has Changed the Game of Soccer

The coronavirus pandemic had a profound effect on all sorts of industries, businesses, personal activities, and sports competitions.

The game of soccer felt the crisis to the fullest because most football associations decided to halt or reschedule all of their events.

A report shows that the English Premier League alone suffered a loss of nearly $900 million in broadcasting revenue due to the COVID-19 crisis.

If you add all other leagues and losses to the equation, you will realise that soccer organisations, themes, and fans have been losing a lot of money recently.

But how exactly do the COVID-19 pandemic influence and change football? Keep reading to find out!

• Cancelled or postponed matches

The first football-related consequence of COVID-19 was a series of matches that were postponed or even cancelled.

From national competitions to Champions League, organisers were forced to suspend hundreds of matches on every continent.

According to sports editor at Luckypennsylvania, the cancellation made a serious impact on everyone in the soccer ecosystem, including teams, athletes, fans, media outlets, and entire football associations.

• Entire competitions halted or improvised

Another side effect of the coronavirus pandemic seriously affected the game of soccer. Namely, the problem with COVID-19 pressured FIFA and UEFA to rearrange entire leagues and competitions, including the most notable events such as EURO 2020 and Champions League. 

This was the reason why EURO 2020 took place in 11 countries all over the continent. At the same time, last season’s Champions League has been reduced to a minimum just to complete the event. Even in 2021, UEFA is still experimenting with schedules in order to bypass COVID-19 restrictions.

• Empty or semi-packed stadiums

The situation with coronavirus has been improving gradually, but it is still far from ideal. You can see it clearly on almost every stadium worldwide because the stands are still empty or semi-packed.

Most leagues do not allow the pitch to be fully crowded as the fear of coronavirus is still immense. But with vaccines and other anti-coronavirus measures, we expect this whole situation to change by the end of the new season.

• Many contracts are shrinking

The coronavirus pandemic disturbed many clubs and football organisations in terms of financial operations and stability. A report reveals that even big football clubs with varied revenue streams have been facing intense financial pressure. This leads to salary reductions and contracts that can hardly match the ones we’ve witnessed in the pre-coronavirus era. 

• Football betting is going online

Sports betting has become a gigantic segment of the soccer ecosystem, but the number of on-site bets has been minimized in the last 18 months.

Today, online platforms are taking over. According to the recent stats, many soccer bets were placed through the best Tennessee sports betting apps and other online gambling providers. The trend is growing big time, and it does not look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.

• Alternative training methodologies

Finally, we have to mention that different schedules with more games being played in a relatively short period of time demand an alternative training methodology.

Coaches and physios are now focusing more on tactics and recovery in order to prevent injuries and keep the players fresh for the actual matches.

The Bottom Line

All sports in the world suffered heavily due to the coronavirus pandemic, but football probably suffered the most because it’s the most popular and profitable discipline globally. COVID-19 changed the game in so many ways, from pre-match health protocols and scheduling to training plans and finance. 

What do you think is the greatest impact of coronavirus on the game of soccer? Let us know in the comments section!