Premier League push forward to complete the season

The Premier League is expected to reiterate its commitment to completing the season in Thursday’s emergency board meeting held via conference call. All games have been postponed until at least 4 April because of coronavirus. But with the pandemic set to continue much longer than that, the league is expected to acknowledge there will be no action for several weeks after that.

The postponement of Euro 2020 has opened up a window for domestic leagues to be completed by the end of June. But clubs are unlikely to put a definitive date on when they hope to resume the season, given the UK government has effectively banned sports events by advising against mass gatherings.

There have been signs that the clubs are split on the issue of how the season should end. Club representatives will be shown expert modelling of various end-of-season scenarios at Thursday’s meeting, and what the possible financial and legal ramifications of each would be.

But for now at least, there seems to be a determination to do everything possible to push for the season to be completed.

The Premier League held talks with the FA and the English Football League on Wednesday, and is known to be in dialogue with its broadcast partners and sponsors amid the threat of legal action on a number of fronts.

Sky and BT have declined to comment on reports that they could seek compensation totalling £750m if the Premier League breaches its £3bn domestic live television contract by not completing its fixtures.

Meanwhile, top clubs in the Championship are said to be ready to launch a legal bid if the season is abandoned and they are denied the opportunity of promotion.

The issue of players’ contracts – many of which expire at the end of June – and the knock-on effect on next season if this one is extended by months, may also be discussed on Thursday, along with the financial impact of the crisis.

The Premier League is also coming under pressure to help support financially stricken EFL clubs.

He also said that there are now 2,000 dedicated HM Revenue & Customs officers ready to take the calls of businesses such as football clubs in order to provide a deferral for tax payments, and an agreed schedule for paying them back.