London (AFP)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said his priority was "public health", more than keeping the Euro semi-finals and final at Wembley, as sources confirmed to AFP that the UEFA were considering moving these matches to Budapest.

According to the Times, Mr Johnson is studying the possibility of exempting around 2,500 people (UEFA or FIFA members, sponsors, broadcasters) from quarantine for the semi-finals and final, scheduled for July 6, 7 and 11. in the London enclosure.

According to media reports, some of its ministers fear that UEFA will move these three matches to Budapest if no exemption is proposed, because Hungary does not impose any conditions on the entry into its territory of travelers. from the Schengen area.

The Hungarian capital is also the only one not to have imposed any gauge in its stadium for this Euro, while the British government, faced with a rebound in coronavirus contaminations, is currently planning a 50% gauge for semi -finals and the final.

The head of the British government was nevertheless more cautious on Friday.

"We will do whatever we need to protect the country from Covid," he said.

"This is obviously our priority. We will discuss with UEFA to find out what they want and see if we can come up with any significant changes, but public health remains the priority," added Mr Johnson.

On Monday, the Prime Minister announced to postpone by four weeks, until July 19, the lifting of the latest restrictions in England to fight the Covid-19 epidemic, due to a surge in cases linked to the Delta variant.

Professor John Edmunds, member of the Scientific Committee responsible for advising the government, however considered that hosting officials for the semi-finals and the final would "not be a major problem".

"I don't think this will change the course of the epidemic in the UK", the level of circulation of the Delta variant on the continent being "well, much lower than it is here", said he estimated with Times Radio.

According to a high-ranking source close to the organization, the relocation of the semi-finals and the final is a "solution envisaged" by UEFA.

The decision will be taken "in the coming days", according to another source close to the organizers questioned by AFP.

"There is still a plan B, but we are confident that the last week can be held in London," UEFA said in a statement on Friday.

"We are in discussions with local authorities to try to allow supporters of participating teams to attend matches, using a strict test and bubble system which would ensure they stay less than 24 hours in the UK and that their movements would be limited to accredited transport and sites ", adds the European confederation.

Last month, UEFA decided to move the Champions League final from Istanbul to Porto to allow Chelsea and Manchester City fans to watch the match.

London had indeed placed Turkey on its red list, which would have forced supporters to observe a quarantine on their return from Istanbul.

© 2021 AFP