K-League’s FC Seoul lands in hot water over mannequin fan fillers
May 19 – As ingenious ways of improving the atmosphere in empty stadiums during the coronavirus pandemic goes, it wasn’t perhaps the cleverest or most obvious.
Coronavirus
Scots end season with Celtic awarded 9th consecutive title and Hearts left broken
May 18 – After weeks of turmoil, claim and counter-claim, Celtic have been crowned Scottish champions for the ninth season in a row after the Scottish Professional Football League opted to curtail the current league season despite considerable opposition – joining the likes of France, Holland and Belgium in halting fixtures because of Covid-19.
Ceferin aims for August completion; 2020/21 club qualifiers will be as normal
May 18 – UEFA has dismissed reports that clubs whose leagues have been prematurely cancelled this season because of Covid-19 face being placed in the preliminary rounds of European competitions.
Club Brugges confirmed as Belgian champions, Pro-League sticks to 16-team format
May 18 – Belgian football will maintain a 16-team league next season after crowning Club Brugge 2019/20 champions and relegating Waasland-Beveren, who have vowed to fight the decision in court.
LaLiga opens up team training to groups of 10 with June 12 restart target
May 18 – La Liga clubs were re-starting group training today as they prepare for a return to action in June after a long pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Serie A clubs delayed return to training over testing and quarantine protocols
May 18 – Is Calcio on the way back? Not just yet. Italian football’s return remains fraught with difficulties, a medical protocol the latest rule to thwart progression towards a restart, delaying collective training sessions.
Jamaica voids 2019/20 season at all levels, sets ‘tentative’ September date for 2020/21 start
May 18 – The Jamaican FA (JFF) has declared its 2019-20 season null and void “for all levels of competition, nationally and in the parishes with a “tentative” start date for the 2020-21 season set for September.
England’s 4th tier votes to end season, but 3rd tier Sunderland and Portsmouth want to play on
May 18 – The fourth professional tier of English football has succumbed to the inevitable and has agreed to abandon the rest of its league season.
Bundesliga goes viral as it begins Big league fightback against Covid-19
By Andrew Warshaw
May 15 – After a two-month suspension caused by Covid-19, top-flight European football is back this weekend – under vastly different circumstances, behind closed doors and only in one country, but nevertheless a significant boost for millions of sports-starved fans across the globe.
UK government clears way for PL restart but wants league to be TV accessible to nation
May 15 – The Premier League’s plans to resume the season next month have been given a boost with Britain’s Culture and Sport secretary Oliver Dowden saying the government was “opening the door” for football to return in June behind closed doors with the possibility of more accessibility to armchair fans.
Forget VAR, Covid-19 cheats looks set to be the new rule stretching frontier
May 15 – An unusual corona-related football row has broken out in Austria with league leaders Linz accused by rivals of breaking Covid-19 rules by returning to full training too early. The club itself counters it has been the victim of industrial espionage.
Project Restart hits speed bump with managers pushing for another week of preparation
May 14 – The resumption of the English Premier League, known as Project Restart, may have to be delayed following a managers’ meeting on Wednesday during which player welfare was discussed at length.
English Championship clubs told to stay home until May 25
May 14 – Clubs in England’s second-tier Championship have been asked to push back a return to training until May 25 at the earliest amid stark warnings over a financial hole caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Serie A clubs wait for Italian government to rubber stamp June 13 return
May 14 – Serie A clubs have voted to resume their domestic season on June 13, pending approval from the Italian government.
Players say they would rather stay home despite Premier League return-to-work protocols
By Andrew Warshaw
May 13 – No tackling, disinfected pitches, daily tests. The health protocol for English Premier League players preparing for a phased return to training has been revealed.