Pedro Proença, the president of Portugal’s Professional Football League (LPFP), has explained that the decision to schedule three major football matches on Election Day, October 4, was inevitable as the entity has to “follow national and international regulations and deadlines”.
Speaking to journalists, Proença explained that the LPFP did all it could to schedule the matches on another day, but that it had to allow Portugal’s “Big Three” – Benfica, Porto and Sporting – to play on October 4.
The league president said that the clubs have UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches just a few days before – meaning players need to be allowed “enough resting hours” and thus cannot play on Friday or Saturday.
Proença called on people to vote nonetheless and said that the LPFP has “created conditions for that to happen”.
Two weeks ago, Portugal’s election commission (CNE) expressed “concern” over the likely number of lost votes it believes will come from the football matches that will take place on election day.
CNE stressed that it “always asks for these initiatives not be held, as they pull lots of people and can bolster abstention levels” (Click here)
