Coronavirus: English Football Suspension Extended
English
football will be suspended until at least 30 April because of the continued
spread of coronavirus.
All games in
England's Premier League, EFL, Women's Super League and Women's Championship,
and all fixtures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, are currently
postponed.
The Football
Association has also agreed that the current season can be "extended
indefinitely".
Under
current rules the season had been scheduled to end on 1 June.
A joint
statement issued by the FA, Premier League and EFL expressed "a commitment
to finding ways of resuming the 2019-20 season" and completing all
domestic and European matches "as soon as it is safe and possible to do
so".
The
postponement of Euro 2020 has opened up a window for domestic league
fixtures to take place in June.
However, the
UK government has effectively banned sports events for the time being by
advising against mass gatherings.
Last week,
West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady said the current season should be
declared null and void.
FA chairman
Greg Clarke also expressed his concern that it might prove impossible for the
season to be concluded.
However
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber told the BBC that it would be
"unjust" if runaway leaders Liverpool were denied the title, and
suggested increasing the league to 22 teams for 2020-21.
Fifa has
also established a working group to tackle the issues facing football
as a result of the pandemic. The group will look at the international fixture
calendar, and issues around player contracts.
Player
contracts typically expire on 30 June but many leagues, if resumed, look likely
to continue beyond that date.
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