Football matches suspended almost everywhere in the world due to the coronavirus pandemic

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that the spread of the coronavirus is now a pandemic, affecting more than 110 countries, especially in Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Football competitions were therefore suspended almost everywhere, except for Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, some African countries, some Latin American countries, a few Asian countries, Australia and Oceania. 

In Lebanon, the football league has not restarted after the October protests and the deep economic and political crisis. The coronavirus outbreak is one reason more to stop all sporting events. Bourj FC issued a press report, stating that they suspend even their training sessions.

In Egypt, matches in the Premier League have been postponed indefinitely. Matches in the Second Division are still scheduled for next week, when Fayoum should play away to Al Minya on the 22nd of March, a decisive match to avoid relegation. However, all matches might be postponed, despite the fact that the Egyptian FA had decided long before that football games are to be played without an audience, for other reasons than the coronavirus.

The Peruvian Liga 1 is one of the few competitions in Latin America to be suspended until the end of March. Cusco FC should have played away to Carlos Stein this week-end, but they will remain home instead. The other Latin American countries which stopped their football matches are Colombia and Venezuela.

In Europe, most of football has stopped, as the situation is very challenging. In Bulgaria, the Third League has barely started and in some cases it did not start at all. The North-West Group has not started as scheduled, on the 8th of March, because of the flu epidemic. Then, all matches have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. Therefore, OFK Tryavna has not played a single official game in 2020, and it is not known when the competitions will resume.

In Slovakia, the Third League should have also started in March, but it did not happen. All matches have been postponed due to the same coronavirus outbreak. 1. FK Svidník were anyway in a difficult position, as the club is facing some deep financial issues, as the players and staff have not been paid for at least two months, because the club president has been taken into custody in early December 2019.