Report: English Premier League has tentative agreement to resume play in June

Organized sports are suspended throughout much of the world, but there is a chance we see English Premier League soccer returning in June. Mirror Sport is reporting the EPL has reached a tentative agreement to restart play in June with “games played under strictly-controlled conditions behind closed doors.”

Any resumption of play is dependent on the health situation improving in the United Kingdom. Mirror Sport reported government officials are hopeful the coronavirus peak in the UK would occur in the next few weeks, and the situation would improve from there.

Players would start ramping up training in May for the June start, but that depends on the public health situation improving during that time. If it improves as the government appears to expect, it would allow for the 2019-2020 season to finish. There are details to be sorted out, but it would likely involve “extensive measures to keep the players in a sterile environment as much as possible, limiting contact with the wider public.”

When play was suspended, Liverpool was running away in the EPL standings. They had 82 points, with Manchester City second at 57 points and Leicester City third with 53 points. The competition to avoid relegation has been significant. Norwich City is in last place at 21 points, with Aston Villa in 19th with 25 points, and AFC Bournemouth, Watford, and West Ham, United all tied for the third relegation spot with 27 points.