Last update 2020-06-16
We are living in exceptional times. “COVID-19” is the reason for the unprecedented interruption of all sports events, soccer included. There are just three national soccer leagues left playing. Belarus, Nicaragua, and Burundi are going against the trend at the moment (valid at the time we wrote this on April 6). Soccer fans were left in despair, but there was no other option.
We are almost a month without first-class football, and a lot of fans are asking two questions. The pessimist’s question is, “When will be the cancelation of the 2019/2020 season announced?” The optimists ask, “When will be the season 2019/2020 restarted?”.
SOCCERsoda always looks on the bright side of life (credit belongs to MonthyPyton), and we remain optimists.
The top leagues will do everything to finish their leagues because of money. It is more probable that the matches will be played behind closed doors, but the television contracts should be fulfilled. And games on televisions are better than no events at all.
We prepared the list of possible dates when top soccer leagues could be restarted. We will keep the list updated until all competitions will not be played again.
Germany: Bundesliga
Confirmed restart date: May 16
9 match days (of 34) left to be played
The government gave Bundesliga green light to start in the middle of May. The updated Bundesliga schedule is available here. And of course, the second Bundesliga will start as well.
Clubs got permission to restart the training process in small groups of players to minimize risks now. The full training sessions could be started after Easter. The most probable date of the restart of Bundesliga is May 16 (instead of May 9). The league is waiting for the ruling of government that should come on May 6.
England: Premier League
Confirmed restart date: June 17
9 match days (of 38) left to be played
The actual decision is to resume the play on June 17 with two games (Aston Villa vs. Sheffield and Arsenal vs. City’. The full program resumes next weekend June 19 to June 21. The full updated schedule of Premier League (in the downloadable spreadsheet) is available here.
Italy: Seria A
Confirmed restart date: June 20
12 match days (of 38) left to be played
Official sources say that Seria A will be restarted on June 20. The full updated schedule of Seria A (in the downloadable spreadsheet) is available here.
Individual training should start on May, 4. Group practices will be restarted on May, 18 and the Seria A should be played from June 13.
Spain: La Liga
Confirmed restart date: June 11
11 match days (of 38) left to be played
President of La Liga confirmed that season will be restarted on Thursday, June 11 with derby match between Betis and FC Sevilla. The full updated schedule of La Liga (in the downloadable spreadsheet) is available here.
Spain teams started with individual practices and the optimistic scenario set the opening day for June 12.
USA, CANADA: Major League Soccer (MLS)
Confirmed restart date: July 8
just 2 matchdays were played
MLS will be restarted by a tournament in Orlando, Florida. All teams will participate and winner of the month-long tournament will qualify to CONCACAF Champions Leagues. The league itself will continue after the tournament will be finished.
UEFA Champions League & Europa League
Confirmed restart date: August 12 (Champions League), August 10 (Europa League)
“Best of 16” round and the rest of the playoffs need to be finished
Champions League and Europa League will be finished at a neutral venue in August 2020.
UEFA Champions League will be played in Lisabon. The rest of the last-16 matches will be played on August 7 & 8 at respective cities (or in Portugal). Quarterfinal matches are scheduled from August 12 till August 15. Semifinals will be played on 18 and 19 August and Finals will be on Sunday 23rd of August.
Europa League will be hosted by four German towns: Koln, Gelsenkirchen, Dusseldorf, and Duisburg in August 2020. The exact dates will be day or two before matches of Champions League.
EURO 2020
Euro was definitely moved to the year 2021 (06/11/2021 – 07/11/2021).