The Premier League will hold an emergency meeting this morning with this weekend’s matches looking certain to be cancelled.
Arsenal announced on Thursday night that their manager Mikel Arteta had contracted coronavirus, and that news was closely followed by Chelsea revealing Callum Hudson-Odoi had also contracted Covid-19.
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Arteta testing positive for COVID-19 could change everything
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Hudson-Odoi displayed symptoms earlier this week and tests have shown he has the virus
Arsenal and Chelsea’s players, as well as coaching staff, have now gone into self-isolation, the clubs announced.
Leicester City (three), Everton (one), Bournemouth (one) and Manchester City (one) also have players in self-isolation and the Premier League, who earlier on Thursday insisted games would go ahead as planned, is to hold an emergency club meeting at 10.30am today regarding fixtures.
Arsenal’s game against Brighton this weekend has already been postponed, and it is now widely expected that the rest of the top-flight games will be called off.
“In light of Arsenal’s announcement tonight confirming that their first-team coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for COVID-19, the Premier League will convene an emergency club meeting tomorrow morning regarding future fixtures,” read a statement on Thursday night.
“The Premier League will make no further comment until after that meeting.”
A number of high-profile sporting events around the world have already been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic with Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix becoming a casualty on Thursday night and golf’s Players Championship scrapped on Friday morning.
Next week’s Manchester City v Real Madrid and Juventus v Lyon Champions League matches have been postponed by UEFA. The entire Real squad is in self-isolation, while a Juventus player has tested positive.
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The Premier League could change its mind on letting this weekend’s fixtures go ahead
The Football Association of Ireland has announced all football activity under its jurisdiction has been suspended until March 29 and Wales’ friendly against the United States on March 30 is off.
All Irish horse racing will take place behind closed doors until March 29 and, in Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she would recommend the cancellation of gatherings of more than 500 people.
In rugby union, the Guinness PRO14, which features Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Italian and South African clubs, has also been suspended.
In tennis the ATP Tour has announced a six-week suspension of activity. Aside from the men’s Players Championship abandonment the ANA Inspiration – the first women’s major of the year – is among five LPGA tournaments cancelled.
Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, the NBA and NHL have all been paused in the United States. Other FIBA, NCAA and EuroLeague basketball games are also affected.
UEFA will also give major consideration to delaying this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament until next year. European football’s governing body has called a meeting of its 55 member associations next week to discuss the matter.
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