This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
On May 11, 2020, the government gave the English Premier League a green light to resume the season on June 1, 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed over 30,000 lives in the United Kingdom.
According to the guidelines set by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Premier League will be permitted to broadcast matches played behind closed doors. However, the return of the Premier League has also raised concerns about the safety of players, with several clubs reporting cases of COVID-19 among their players.
The 20 Premier League clubs met via video-conference on Monday to deliberate on the next step, with a vote on restart schemes likely early next week. The clubs are under pressure to lift the relegation rule, given the uncertainty surrounding the completion of the season.
