COVID-19: English Premier League suspension extended until April 30

English football competitions have been further suspended until at least April 30 amidst the continued spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

All fixtures in England's Premier League, EFL, Women's Championship, Women's Super League and all games in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have been postponed.

Reportedly, the Football Association has admitted that the ongoing season might be extended indefinitely.

Under the current rules, this season was originally scheduled to come to an end on June 1. However, even that seems like a distant possibility, given the unprecedented spread of the virus.

The Premier League, FA, and EFL issued a joint statement. It said "The FA's Rules and Regulations state that the season shall terminate not later than the 1 June and each competition shall, within the limit laid down by The FA, determine the length of its own playing season. However, The FA's Board has agreed for this limit to be extended indefinitely for the 2019/20 season in relation to Professional Football."

Last week, West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady advised that the current season must be declared "null and void."

The FA chairman Greg Clarke also expressed his concerns regarding the impossibility that the current season can be concluded as planned. However, Brighton CEO Paul Barber admitted that it would be unfair if the season is terminated and the runaway leaders Liverpool were denied their first title in the last 30 years.

He also suggested that the teams in the league could be increased to 22 for the 2020-21 season, which means no relegation should happen this year.

Meanwhile, FIFA has established a working group to tackle the problems that football has been facing lately due to the pandemic. The group is responsible for looking at the international fixture calendar and handling the issues regarding player contracts.

Typically, player contracts expire on June 30. However, this year that doesn't seem viable. Many leagues around the world have been postponed and if they resume, they might last beyond that contract expiration date. In such a scenario, clubs will face problems.

From a positive perspective, the postponement of the European Championships has opened up an opportunity to conduct domestic league fixtures in June.

However, as of now, the UK government has banned all sporting events and advised against mass gatherings. In case these restrictions sustain, some clubs might play matches behind closed doors to get the season completed.