Championship news: New football return date to be announced says fresh report

All professional football in England has been suspended until at least April 30 due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Yet, according to the Daily Mail, the EFL have told clubs that restarting the season next month will be impossible, with a further announcement expected next week.

The Premier League and EFL have stated they wish to complete the 2019/20 campaign when safe to do so.

PFA call for urgent meeting

Talks are also expected to take place about the financial impacts of COVID-19 in the next few days, after the PFA called for an urgent meeting with the Premier League and EFL on Thursday.

Championship leaders Leeds United have confirmed that players and senior management staff have volunteered to take a wage deferral for the foreseeable future to ensure all non-football staff can be paid.

Further down the football pyramid, League One clubs MK Dons and Accrington Stanley have furloughed all staff.

A statement from the PFA said: “The PFA has called for an urgent meeting with both the Premier League and English Football League to discuss the impact that the COVID-19 crisis is having on the finances of both clubs and players.

“As with other industries, the current COVID-19 crisis is having a severe impact on the finances of the game. Several clubs have already approached players with a view to imposing pay deferrals.

“In order to deal with this situation, we have called for an urgent meeting with both the Premier League and EFL to discuss how we might proceed going forward.”

The statement went on to say the PFA are working “closely with the Premier League, EFL and WSL (Women’s Super League), agreeing on protocols in terms of training regimes and timetables for suspension of group training” and are holding “regular discussions at international level regarding areas relating to contractual stability and the eventual resumption of the leagues.”