Women's Euros must move to 2022, says Man Utd boss Casey Stoney

Stoney: "How are you going to run an Olympic football tournament and the Euros in the same year?"

By Liam Grace

Casey Stoney believes the 2021 UEFA Women's Euros will have to be postponed until 2022 to accommodate the Olympics

Manchester United Women boss Casey Stoney believes there is no choice but to postpone the 2021 UEFA Women's Euros until 2022.

Next year's tournament - hosted by England - is set to go ahead, although the Danish Football Association has claimed it has already been moved back 12 months.

Some want to see the women's tournament run alongside the men's version in 2021 but it could present problems with the Tokyo Olympics - set for the same year.

England star Nikita Parris has already called for the 2021 UEFA Women's Euros to be rescheduled for 2022, with Stoney on Wednesday insisting it will "have to move".

Image: England finished fourth at the 2019 World Cup

"It's really difficult," Stoney told Sky Sports News. "How are you going to run an Olympic football tournament and the Euros in the same year?

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"That's an incredible physical - and mental - ask of the players. I don't think it's physically possible.

"I'd rather it had its own space and I'd rather the players were not playing two tournaments in one summer.

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Image: The Netherlands are the current champions after winning Euro 2017

"How do they come off the back of that into another league campaign? It's very difficult. In my opinion, it will have to move."

Qualification for the championships is still ongoing, with England having already qualified for the finals as hosts.

Scotland are second in Group E, Wales are second in Group C, which also contains Northern Ireland in fourth place, and the Republic of Ireland are top of Group I.

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