This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the world of sports, the English Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) is exploring ways to reduce the physical toll on players when the season resumes.
According to PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor, one possible solution is to play shorter matches, which could help alleviate the burden on players who have been out of action for several weeks.
"Safety has to be paramount," Taylor told the BBC in an interview.
"We don't know the future. What we do know is what propositions have been put, what ideas have been put, the possibility of having more substitutes, games possibly not being the full 45 minutes each way," he added.
Other proposals being considered include increasing the number of substitutes allowed per side from three to five, as suggested by Fifa, and playing matches at neutral stadiums.
However, not all stakeholders are in agreement with these plans. Some top-flight clubs have argued that under the current circumstances, there should be no relegation as the sporting integrity of the competition is compromised.
Chairman of the English Football League (EFL) Rick Parry has warned that denying promotion to three Championship clubs could lead to legal battles, saying "The lawyers are going to get wealthy if that happens."
