The upcoming Unite the Union Champions Cup competition has been rescheduled for 2022 due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases on the island of Ireland.
The next instalment of the competition was launched at the National Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast last month.
The semi-finals would see teams in the SSE Airtricity League and the Northern Irish Football League final go head-to-head.
The final was scheduled to be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, December 4 but fans will now have to wait longer for the fixtures to be fulfilled.
A statement on the decision reads: “In light of the current COVID-19 situation on both sides of the border, Unite the union has asked the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Football Association to postpone the Unite the union Champions Cup tournament until 2022 and both Associations have agreed to this request.”
Unite the Union Deputy Regional Secretary Davy Thompson stated: “Due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases both North and South, we in conjunction with the FAI and IFA have taken the decision to postpone the Unite the Union Champions Cup until 2022.
“While this was a decision we hoped we would not have to take, we believe it is the responsible approach given the current pressures on our health services.
“Unite has stood in solidarity with our health services throughout this pandemic, and we feel that a major cross-border event such as the Champions Cup could potentially place an additional burden on healthcare workers.
“We would like to thank the Associations and clubs for the joint decision taken today. We also want to take this opportunity to thank all those working on the front line for their continuing dedication to the public.”
League of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon added: “We apologise to the fans of all clubs involved in the Unite the union Champions Cup from both the League of Ireland and the Irish League but all concerned feel this is the best decision in the current climate.
“We look forward to restaging these fixtures as early as possible in the New Year.”
