Clubs across the Premier League and EFL could be without some of their stars for the start of the 2021/22 season due to the Olympic Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) have confirmed that the Tokyo Olympic Games will start on 23 July, 2021 and will run to 8 August.
The competition was due to take place this summer but was postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement released by the IOC confirmed that the Olympic executive board met on Monday to make a decision on a new start and end date.
Just like the European Championships in football, the Olympics will still be called Tokyo 2020 despite taking place in 2021.
UEFA confirmed earlier this month that the Euro’s would be moved to next summer as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
But with the Olympics now following suit, it is likely that there will be a crossover of dates for some players and their countries.
The Premier League season for that year is also due to start on the day the tournament will end, but whether the top-flight will actually kick off on that date still remains to be seen.
All professional football in England remains suspended until April 30 at the earliest, with health experts warning a further extension is now likely.
As a result, the start of next season is likely to be delayed, with the knocking on effects possibly affecting leagues for years to come.
