If you are one of the few people who believed football would actually return on April 30, then I’m sorry to say more disappointment is coming your way.
With football suspended across the globe, nobody really knows how it is all going to play out because these are unprecedented times for us 21st century humans. FIFA, UEFA, The FA, Premier League and all the rest are urgently trying to come up with a solution to a problem they can’t yet get their heads around fully. No-one seems to be able to.
On Thursday, EFL clubs were informed by memo that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it will be impossible to return to playing next month.
The memo to clubs, reportedly seen by Sportsmail, states that the EFL board met on Wednesday and “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 Premier League and EFL are expected to make the announcement next week after a meeting between the two.
The FA have already ended everything in football below the sixth tier National League North and South, declaring all results scrapped with the same to follow in the women’s game below the Super League and Championship levels.
In order to complete the rest of the season, broadcasters could end up showing all Saturday 3pm kick-offs live in the UK if they are required to be played behind-closed-doors, which seems the likeliest way of finishing up the season.
FIFA are also said to be considering moving the dates of the transfer window as well as allowing players and clubs to extend contracts that expire this summer, as they recognise the pandemic crippling the globe as a ‘force majeure’. Sports lawyers, however, have argued this won’t work in England where employees cannot be forced to work against their will.
At present, however, with no idea how this pandemic will play out, it is all but impossible to make any concrete decisions.
It is hoped that the summer’s rise in temperature will help slow, or even stop, the virus, but we’re just going to find ourselves back here next winter until we find a vaccine, cure, or appropriate treatment.