Rapid covid spike forces Belgians to close doors on fans at top tier matches
October 23 – Belgium has become the latest country to ban fans from attending live football matches after a huge spike in coronavirus infections.
Coronavirus
Covid crush: African Champions League semi-final postponed to just four days before final
October 23 – The second leg of the African Champions League semi-final between Egypt’s Zamalek and Raja Casablanca has been postponed for a week after eight players in the Moroccan club’s squad tested positive for Covid-19.
Aussies and Kiwis pull out of European trips in November match window
October 23 – Australia have joined New Zealand in pulling out of planned national team events in Europe due to the Europe-wide spike in coronavirus cases and increasing international travel restrictions.
Swiss cut stadium attendances to 1,000 as FC Sion puts whole squad into quarantine
October 22 – Top-flight Swiss side FC Sion have put their entire squad and medical staff into quarantine and have asked for their next two games to be postponed following the club’s latest coronavirus tests, though results were not revealed.
UEFA calls off U-19 Euros but sends top 5 ranked teams to U-20 World Cup
October 21 – UEFA has cancelled its U-19 European Championship because of the coronavirus pandemic and issues around international travel.
Napoli game still on despite AZ Alkmaar’s unlucky 13 positive tests
October 21 – Dutch club AZ Alkmaar have been hit by no fewer than 13 positive Covid-19 cases but their Europa League clash with Napoli on Thursday is still going ahead despite the number of infections.
Greeks shelve plans to lift fan ban as virus spikes
October 21 – Greece has dropped plans to allow fans back at sporting events and football matches, the country’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday. The measure forms parts of new tougher restrictions in Greece to combat and contain the coronavirus.
Covid positive tests force delay to Concacaf League’s full restart
October 21 – Concacaf, in the throes of starting its club competitions, has had to postpone one of the first matches of its second club competition, the Concacaf League, after four players and four staff from Belize’s Verdes FC tested positive for covid.
LFP chase Mediapro for unpaid €172m as agency seeks to renegotiate TV deal
October 16 – The French League (LFP) has formally demanded that Spanish media rights agency Mediapro pay €172 million due as part of its Ligue 1 broadcast deal.
Argentina sets end-October date for return of club competition
October 15 – Domestic football will resume in Argentina at the end of October after the game shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia has announced.
Napoli lose four points for their covid-excuse no-show at Juve
October 15 – Napoli have been handed a 3-0 defeat by Italian football authorities and docked one point for not showing up for their high-profile Serie A match at Juventus because of Covid-19 positive cases.
Positive test rules Ronaldo out of Sweden game and Juve’s Champions League openers
October 14 – Cristiano Ronaldo has become the latest player to test positive for the coronavirus. The Portuguese Football Federation issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that Ronaldo is “well, without symptoms, and in isolation.”
Peru forced to reshuffle frontline for Brazil World Cup qualifier as strikers test positive
October 13 – Peru’s Raúl Ruidiaz (pictured) and Alex Valera have tested positive for the coronavirus, ruling both strikers out of their World Cup qualifier with Brazil on Tuesday.
South Korea’s K League to open stadia to 25% capacity, but no song or dance
October 13 – South Korea, the first major football country to return to top tier league action in May after the global football shutdown in March, has now announced a limited reopening of stadia to fans.
Germans rule fans out of attending Nations League match against Swiss in Cologne
October 13 – Germany will host Switzerland in the Nations League on Tuesday behind closed doors in Cologne because of rising coronavirus numbers.