Premier League restart date confirmed following executives meeting

The Premier League will make a return to action on June 17, more than three months after the season was temporarily suspended.

Executives from the 20 top-flight clubs gathered for a shareholders’ meeting on Thursday, and the agreement was reached over the remaining rounds of games to be played.

Two rearranged matches – Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal – will be played first on June 17 before a full round of matches on June 19.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in a statement: “Today we have provisionally agreed to resume the Premier League on Wednesday 17 June.

“But this date cannot be confirmed until we have met all the safety requirements needed, as the health and welfare of all participants and supporters is our priority.”

In addition, the Premier League also confirmed that plans are in place for the remaining 92 matches to be broadcast on either Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon Prime or BBC Sport.

Masters continued: “Sadly, matches will have to take place without fans in stadiums, so we are pleased to have come up with a positive solution for supporters to be able to watch all the remaining 92 matches.

“The Premier League and our clubs are proud to have incredibly passionate and loyal supporters. It is important to ensure as many people as possible can watch the matches at home.

 

“We will continue to work step-by-step and in consultation with all our stakeholders as we move towards resuming the 2019/20 season.”

The schedule of matches on weekends will start with a game at 8pm on Friday night, followed by Saturday’s matches at 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 8pm.

Sunday’s planned coverage will hold matches at 12pm, 2pm, 4.30pm and 7pm, with a final match scheduled for Monday evening at 8pm.

As for midweek coverage, games will be played on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with matches at 6pm and 8pm on all three days.

A report in The Times has claimed that all of Liverpool’s home games – as well as other “key matches” – will be played at neutral venues.

BBC Sport will show four of the 92 games, while The Times chief sports reporter Martyn Ziegler claims that Sky Sports will show 64 and the remaining 25 will be free to air on freeview.

The Reds need two wins to clinch their first league title in 30 years.

The last action in the Premier League was on March 9, before the competition was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic on March 13.

Clubs voted unanimously on protocols for contact training on Wednesday, another step along the road to resumption.

Four individuals connected to three clubs tested positive for coronavirus in the league’s third round of testing, with 1,008 staff from Premier League clubs tested.