English football will be suspended until at least April 30 due to the coronavirus crisis, the English game’s governing bodies have said.
In a joint statement on Thursday after a video conference meeting, the authorities said the current season can still be extended indefinitely.
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.
“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 statement read.
All elite football matches in England, including the Premier League, Football League (EFL) and Women’s Super League (WSL), were suspended last week until April 4 to contain the spread of the virus.
According to FA rules, the season should end by June 1, but the decision was taken to extend it 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 read.
“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.”
