Coronavirus: Premier League and EFL suspended until 3 April at earliest

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Some fans have been seen wearing protective masks at Premier League fixtures
All elite football in England has been suspended until at least 3 April as a result of the spread of coronavirus.

All Premier League games, EFL fixtures and matches in the FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship have been postponed.

The Premier League said action would resume on 4 April “subject to medical advice and conditions at the time”.

The Football Association said England’s games against Italy on 27 March and Denmark four days later are off.

The EFL, which hopes to resume play a day earlier than the Premier League on 3 April, said clubs were also advised to suspend “non-essential activities” such as “player appearances, training ground visits and fan meetings”.

The suspension comes on a day of widespread sporting postponements worldwide.

Uefa has postponed next week’s Champions League and Europa League fixtures.
England’s Test cricket series in Sri Lanka has been cancelled.

Golf’s Players Championship in Florida was called off after one round.
French football’s governing body has suspended its top two leagues.
The remainder of the Scottish football season has been postponed indefinitely.

Formula E is suspended for two months, affecting races in Paris, Seoul and Jakarta.
Late on Thursday it was announced Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had tested positive for the virus, and early on Friday Chelsea striker Callum Hudson-Odoi revealed he had been affected, while Everton say a first-team player has shown symptoms.

Earlier this week, several clubs – including Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City, Bournemouth, Manchester City, Juventus and Real Madrid – revealed they have either all or some of their playing staff in self-isolation.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: “In this unprecedented situation, we are working closely with our clubs, government, the FA and EFL and can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority.”

The Premier League said its “aim is to reschedule the displaced fixtures”, while the Football Association said “all parties are committed at this time to trying to complete this season’s domestic fixture programme”.

In total, 10 people have now died in the UK with the virus and there have been 596 confirmed cases across the country.

On Thursday Prime Minister Boris Johnson said suspending major public events such as sporting fixtures was being considered by the government but would be a measure primarily to protect public services, rather than delay the spread.

The EFL said: “This decision has not been taken lightly, but the EFL must prioritise the health and well-being of players, staff and supporters while also acknowledging the government’s national efforts in tackling this outbreak.”

‘Early April an impossible return’ – analysis
Dan Roan, BBC sports editor

These are deeply turbulent times in English football – and across world sport – which is having to face up to a period of disruption and dislocation unprecedented in peacetime.

Privately, all parties admit that resuming matches in early April – when the initial suspension will be reviewed – will be almost impossible.

But the hope is that next week a decision is taken to postpone Euro 2020 for a year, thereby freeing up space in the calendar to reschedule outstanding matches and complete domestic league seasons across the continent at some stage.

This action goes against the government’s highly controversial advice to continue staging sports events despite mass gatherings being closed or cancelled across the world.

But Department for Culture Media and Sport officials are known to be supportive of the decision football authorities have taken, given the need to protect employees and the mounting cases of players contracting the virus.

The problem is that the outbreak is expected to be at its peak in May and June so if the suspension keeps on being extended, some clubs may start to push for the season to be declared void, a nightmare scenario for clubs like Liverpool and Leeds, who both stand on the brink of long-awaited glory.

But as it stands, there seems to be a determination to complete the season if at all possible.

Simply stopping the season as it stands now seems unlikely given it would run the risk of legal action from clubs relegated or denied promotion.

The EFL is expected to ask the government for financial help for some of the clubs who now face even more financial uncertainty but there is no guarantee this will be possible in these extraordinary times.

Sourceb BBC