Football League hopes fading over finishing season amid coronavirus | Football

The possibility of the EFL being unable to complete the season is now a real concern after crucial meetings raised the stark challenges regarding any resumption of competition.

Issues of coronavirus testing, player safety and the economic costs of staging games behind closed doors are coming to a head with a growing number of club owners, especially in Leagues One and Two, prepared to call off the season.

Although the official approach of the EFL remains to wait for government guidance, there is a broad acknowledgement that time is running out. The DCMS and Public Health England are to meet representatives of sporting bodies on Friday to discuss a way forward, but no firm guidance is expected and the EFL will not have a representative in the meeting.

On Wednesday league officials briefed the EFL board over a number of possible scenarios on how the season could be salvaged and all required huge numbers of tests. A subsequent conference call among Football League clubs also raised the challenges of continuing to pay players into the summer with as many as 800 due to lapse out of contract at the end of June and some clubs able only to offer severance payments should matches be staged after that point.

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