Plans to end the Scottish Premiership season early could be vetoed by UEFA, due to concerns over the Europa League.
It was announced on Wednesday that the 30 lower league clubs will vote on a resolution to end the current season with tables as they stand.
That would mean Dundee United being promoted from the Championship and Partick Thistle being relegated.
However, the SPFL statement made clear that top flight matches “remain postponed for the time being, to give the best possible opportunity for the remaining 2019/20 fixtures to be played”.
While it was made clear that terminating the season is still on the table, that could lead to a battle with UEFA.
European football’s governing body has recommended that leagues be played to a conclusion, though Belgium have moved toward declaring Club Brugge champions.
That decision will be passed to UEFA’s executive committee, but even if approved it may not point the way to ending the Scottish Premiership season and crowning Celtic champions.
Crucially, Belgium has no clubs left competition in this season’s Champions League or Europa League.
As things stand the intention is still to conclude both of those competitions, and that’s where the SPFL could come into conflict with UEFA.
This week FIFA announced new measures to deal with the issue of players who will be out of contract after June 30.
However, the statement made clear that contracts should be “extended until such time that the season does actually end”.
If the SPFL declares the Premiership season over, Rangers players whose contracts expire on June 30 would not fall under the FIFA extension.
That would mean losing Ianis Hagi, Sheyi Ojo, Andy Halliday, Wes Foderingham and Florian Kamberi, unless extensions or permanent transfers could be agreed.
That would present an issue in the Europa League, where Steven Gerrard’s side still have to play a second leg against Bayer Leverkusen.
If UEFA stick to their stance of extending the competition into July, they are unlikely to approve of the Scottish season ending prematurely.
