LONDON: English football will be suspended until at least April 30 due to the coronavirus crisis, but the current season can be extended indefinitely, the English game’s governing bodies said in a joint statement on Thursday.
The Football Association, Premier League, EFL and women’s professional game bodies, along with players and managers associations, agreed to extend the formal end-date for the 2019/2020 season in a bid to complete the campaign.
“We are united in our commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019/20 football season and ensuring all domestic and European club league and cup matches are played as soon as it is safe and possible to do so,” the organisations said following a video conference meeting on Thursday.
Last week all elite football matches in England, including the Premier League, Football League (EFL) and Womens Super League (WSL), were suspended until April 4.
With non-league, youth and amateur football having also subsequently suspended play, the English game is in a state of total shutdown.
European football’s governing body UEFA agreed on Tuesday to postpone Euro 2020 for a year, clearing space in the calendar for domestic competitions to finish — if the public health situation allows.
FA rules say the season should end by June 1, but the decision was taken to extend that into the summer.
“The progress of COVID-19 remains unclear and we can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority,” the joint statement said.
“We will continue to follow government advice and work collaboratively to keep the situation under review and explore all options available to find ways of resuming the season when the conditions allow.”
Even if play can commence in early May, that could mean matches stretching beyond the June 30 goal UEFA agreed on for finishing the season on Tuesday.
The end of June is when many players’ contracts and loan deals expire.
One option could see the end of the 2019/20 and beginning of the 2020/21 come together with no time for an off-season break.
The sudden shutdown, though, could have long-lasting consequences for many lower league clubs worrying if they will even be able to survive the next couple of months with no income from gate receipts.
A 50 million ($58 million) short-term relief package was announced by the EFL to help stricken clubs on Wednesday.
However, there has so far been no bailout from the Premier League to ensure those further down the pyramid survive.
