The sporting calendar will be packed in 2021 after a host of major international events were postponed because of the pandemic.

COVID-19 ripped up the 2020 schedule, affecting every level of the sporting pyramid, but arguably the biggest event to be hit was the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.  

On March 25, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach made history when he announced the postponement of the Games for the first time since the end of World War II.

The Tokyo Olympics has been rearranged to take place from July 23 next year, however, it will be a very different event from the one originally planned, with fewer spectators and venues.

Football is also struggling to cope with the financial damage caused by the pandemic.

Tournaments such as Euro 2020 were pushed back to 2021 and although the sport resumed across Europe in June, it did so behind closed doors.

Without income from ticket sales, the virus has also had a huge impact on the finances of the big clubs.

Barcelona and Real Madrid's transfer plans were left in tatters after La Liga cut the salary cap of all Spanish clubs in half due to the financial fallout of COVID-19.

But while things have been tough for the big two teams in Spain, the effects of the pandemic have been even more keenly felt further down the football pyramid.

Fuenlabrada play in Spain's second division, which is almost entirely financially reliant on ticket sales – but fans haven't been allowed to attend games since March.

The club's general manager, Patricia Praena, said: "Smaller football clubs like ourselves have suffered a big impact, starting with fans not being allowed in the stadiums. 

"To play without fans is different emotionally speaking but there's also an economic impact, in that we didn't get any income from gate receipts or from the season tickets."

Thankfully for Fuenlabrada and the rest of Spanish football, there is now hope that a new vaccine will allow fans to return next year.

A story of optimism has also unfolded in China. Chinese Super League side Wuhan Zall found itself at the epicenter of the pandemic at the start of the year. 

The players went to Spain for pre-season training but weren't allowed to return home as the virus raged through the city and instead had to stay in Spain for more than two months.  

But in recent weeks, the club has reopened its stadium and allowed 300 fans to watch their team play live.

Supporters have also returned in small numbers at some Premier League games in the UK in areas with less severe restrictions and clubs and fans will hope that is a sign of things to come in 2021.