This archive report was first published on 19 July 2020.
On July 18, 2020, the Zambian football season was set to restart, but a COVID-19 outbreak among league leaders Forest Rangers forced a 24-hour delay.
Of the 58 players and staff at Rangers, only 30 tested negative for the virus, prompting the national football association to express concern over the clubs' adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.
General secretary Adrian Kashala warned that clubs that fail to follow the guidelines risk facing stiff penalties, including losing points or having matches cancelled.
The 2019/2020 season will now restart on Sunday in Ndola with a double-header featuring Zesco United against Kansanshi Dynamos and Buildcon versus Power Dynamos.
Forest Rangers top the table with 46 points from 24 matches, closely followed by Napsa Stars, Green Eagles, Nkana, and defending champions Zesco.
Matches will be played behind closed doors in Zambia, where there have been 2,810 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 109 deaths.
