EFL clubs have reportedly been informed that the prospect of football resuming in April is ‘impossible’.
All professional football in England, from the Premier League through to League Two, has been suspended until at least April 30 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But in a document seen by the Daily Mail, the EFL board have accepted that the target for getting the season back up and running will inevitably be pushed back further.
The UK is currently in lockdown and, with players unable to train, April 30 is not seen as a realistic prospect for the action to resume at any level.
The document read: “It would now appear that recommencing professional football on 30 April is not going to happen and, following further dialogue with the Premier League next week, we will provide further information.”
The EFL and Premier League are scheduled to meet next week when a new target date for football to resume is expected to be announced.
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On Monday, the whole country was put into lockdown by Prime Minister Boris Johnson with people only allowed to leave their homes for essential reasons.
In the United Kingdom, 578 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 while there have been 11,658 confirmed cases.
The FA announced earlier this week that all football from steps three to six on the non-league pyramid had been cancelled with all results from the 2019-20 season expunged.
The same also happened in the women’s game below the Women’s Super League and Championship level.
But the Premier League and EFL are understood to be determined to ensure their seasons are finished, even it takes the campaign into June/July.
The European Championship, scheduled to take place this summer, has already been delayed for a year, giving domestic competitions the chance to extend their seasons.
Give COVID-19 the red card
The quicker we work together to stop coronavirus spreading, the sooner we can get back into the pubs, the gyms and stadiums and arenas to see live sport again…
STAY AT HOME. Only leave for the following purposes:
- to shop for basic essentials – only when you really need to
- to do one form of exercise a day – such as a run, walk or cycle, alone or with other people you live with
- for any medical need – for example, to visit a pharmacy or deliver essential supplies to a vulnerable person
- to travel to and from work – but only where this is absolutely necessary
For more info and tips, visit the NHS website.
The government has also issued further detail on what we can do during lockdown.
Everyone should do what they can to stop coronavirus spreading.
