PREMIER LEAGUE football is set to resume in June and finish in mid-July with the start of next season in August following the coronavirus crisis.
All 20 clubs will hold a conference call on Friday to hash out a plan for the resumption of the top flight – which will only take place if the government gives plans the green light.
Sports broadcaster Jim White has revealed that a Premier League insider says that the “best case scenario” remains a resumption of the top flight in June behind closed doors with the campaign finishing in mid-July.
The start of next season would be at the end of August or early September with the government reportedly supportive of the plans.
On Saturday Sun Sport revealed that Premier League football could be back on TV within weeks — in a major boost to bored Brits.
Boris Johnson has been briefed on plans for fixtures to be played behind closed doors and sees the resumption of live sport as key to boosting the morale of the nation after weeks of being shut inside.
The priority is to get the Premier League season finished as it would allow the transfer window to open and enable money to be distributed down the football pyramid.
It is understood that some games could be aired on public platforms to stop people going round to pals’ homes if they were only available on Sky Sports or BT Sport.
Government insiders said it was likely that the EFL would start later because of the logistical and financial challenges.
The Government would have to meet its five restart tests is sport is to resume — including cutting death and infection rates.
Sports would have to meet a strict set of criteria, including being able to maintain social-distancing and keeping all involved safe from infection.
There would have to be regular testing of participants — paid for by clubs or the sport’s chiefs so as not to block frontline workers.
The Government’s next review of the lockdown is due a week on Thursday, on May 7.
It has yet to be decided whether games will resume at approved stadiums, or at a neutral venue such as St George’s Park, which was offered up by the FA alongside Wembley to complete the 92 remaining games of the season.
If the Government gives all sport the green light on May 7 it would take at least two weeks of training for Premier League players to be match ready.
Arsenal are the first Premier League team to return to action with Gunners stars backin training after 47 days away during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bundesliga is planning to resume behind closed doors from May 9 and revealed to the Prem the scale of the operation required to play a single match behind closed doors.
German top flight chiefs explain how a minimum of 322 people would be required at a stadium at kick-off time for matches to be allowed to start.
A Whitehall source said: “We want live sport back on TV as soon as we can. It would give the whole country a huge lift.
“We have much still to do in the fight against the spread of this virus and it is too early to consider fans going back to the grounds themselves but this is a way to at least get sport going again.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has urged the Premier League to consider streaming matches on terrestrial channels.
Another option being considered is extended highlights and clubs could also show games on their websites.
Most clubs have nine games left to play and schedules will be drawn up on how to complete the rest of the games, as well as the FA Cup, with Liverpool looking to finally claim their first top flight title since 1990.
