EFL call emergency meeting amid coronavirus outbreak

EFL call emergency meeting amid coronavirus outbreak


Cardiff & Swansea games could now be behind closed doors if they vote to.

The EFL previously stated that this weekend's games would go ahead, although they are now set to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the situation

By Ian Mitchelmore


Friday 13th March 2020



The English Football League are set to hold an emergency meeting over the fixture schedule amid the coronavirus outbreak.

A raft of leagues around the world have already been postponed as a result of the spread of the virus.

And key football fixtures - including Man City's Premier League clash with Arsenal as well as numerous Champions League and Europa League ties - have been postponed.

Despite this, the EFL announced on Thursday night that all of their fixtures this weekend will take place as normal.

However, shortly after their announcement, Arsenal confirmed that head coach Mikel Arteta had tested positive for coronavirus.

Soon after, Chelsea revealed that midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi had contracted COVID-19.

Players at Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Leicester City are all self-isolating while reports have emerged in the national media that players at Watford have also tested positive.

It led the Premier League to call an emergency meeting for Friday to discuss the possibility of suspending the league.

And the EFL now looks increasingly like postponing all matches.

An EFL spokesman said: “The EFL Board will meet this morning to make a decision on this weekend’s fixtures and beyond.”

Swansea City were due to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday while Cardiff City were scheduled to host Leeds United in the Welsh capital on Sunday.

And rightly so tbh in us nhl nba mlb have all stopped leagues in Europe have stopped we need to follow aswell but how the rugby is still going ahead beggars belied

Unless they ban all large gatherings then just postponing the EFL is pointless in the extreme. 75K at the Rugby with around 200K in Town. If that goes ahead they might as well let the football go ahead anyway.

Unless they ban all large gatherings then just postponing the EFL is pointless in the extreme. 75K at the Rugby with around 200K in Town. If that goes ahead they might as well let the football go ahead anyway.

I agree mate. Don't necessarily disagree with EFL / Prem decision (when it comes) but how can WRU justify not calling off their game is completely beyond me.

Unless they ban all large gatherings then just postponing the EFL is pointless in the extreme. 75K at the Rugby with around 200K in Town. If that goes ahead they might as well let the football go ahead anyway.

I agree mate. Don't necessarily disagree with EFL / Prem decision (when it comes) but how can WRU justify not calling off their game is completely beyond me. [/quote


its easy putting bans in place but at what point do you lift the restrictions ?
when less people are getting this virus or dying from it ? these figures might stabilise and therefore that might never happen.

Game off accoeding to sky cardiff leeds resume April tomlin perhaps back then

Unless they ban all large gatherings then just postponing the EFL is pointless in the extreme. 75K at the Rugby with around 200K in Town. If that goes ahead they might as well let the football go ahead anyway.

I agree mate. Don't necessarily disagree with EFL / Prem decision (when it comes) but how can WRU justify not calling off their game is completely beyond me. [/quote


its easy putting bans in place but at what point do you lift the restrictions ?
when less people are getting this virus or dying from it ? these figures might stabilise and therefore that might never happen.

I agree. Tbh I'd have followed government advice but I can understand the pressure that EFL / P must have been under.The peak is expected in late May and the health expert said yesterday that it's important NOT to put too stringent measures in too soon (he gave reasons why, that i'm not sure of).

On a pure football issue, are the games going to be 'caught up' through summer I wonder?