FIFA confirmed the postponement of the new Club World Cup on Wednesday as it pledged to take a series of “exceptional measures” to protect football in the face of the coronavirus crisis, including a possible support fund for financially stricken clubs and associations. World football’s governing body accepted it would not play the new 24-team Club World Cup in June and July of 2021 after it was announced on Tuesday that the European Championship and Copa America would both be moved to that period. The two tournaments were postponed by 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino had already said in advance of a meeting with the heads of the six continental ruling bodies on Wednesday that he would propose putting back the Club World Cup to later in 2021, or even to 2022 or 2023.
