The 2019-2020 Lebanese League cancelled, the new season starts on 29 July

As expected, the Lebanese Football Association cancelled the 2019-2020 season, which saw only three rounds played in late September and early October 2019. The political unrest which started in mid-October and then the COVID-19 pandemic in March hampered any attempts to a restart.

However, the Lebanese Football Association has managed to prepare the start of the 2020-2021 season, with the agreement of all the clubs involved.

The first competition to kick-off will be the joint Elite and Challenge Cup, on the 29th of July. Because there was no league in 2019-2020, all the 12 Premier League teams will initially participate to a qualifying tournament, consisting of three groups of four teams each, playing against each other in a single round robin tournament. The first two classified of each group will qualify for the Elite Cup, while the last two classified will play in the Challenge Cup.

The composition of the groups:

Group A: Al Ahed, Bourj FC, Shabab Al-Ghazieh, Tadamon Sour.

Group B: Al Ansar, Salam Zgharta, Al Ahly Akhaa Aley, AC Tripoli.

Group C: Nejmeh, Shabab El Bourj, Shabab Sahel, Safa.

Bourj FC will play the first game against champions Al Ahed, technically "away", but most likely on neutral ground. The second game will be against Shabab Al-Ghazieh ("home") and the third one against Tadamon Sour, "away".

 Bourj FC have started the training sessions in June. Source: Bourj FC Facebook page (photo by Abdullah Mahfouz)

The Premier League will start on the 18th of September, and the first eleven rounds will be played until December, with several breaks in October and November, caused by the FIFA calendar, allowing for matches of the national teams, and possibly for matches in the AFC Cup or matches in the Lebanese Cup.

In the first round, Bourj FC will play also against champions Al Ahed, this time at "home". Hopefully, this year Bourj FC may play home matches in Beirut, and not in Aley or Sidon, as they did last year. This match is followed by six consecutive games "away", against Shabab Sahel, Safa, Salam Zgharta, Nejmeh, AC Tripoli and Shabab El Bourj. Except for Zgharta and Tripoli, the other matches should normally be played also in Beirut. This series of away matches would be followed by four consecutive matches at "home", against Al Ahly Akhaa Aley, Tadamon Sour, Al Ansar and Shabab Al-Ghazieh.

In this respect, the Lebanese League is somehow unique in the world, as there is no interest for the teams to play alternative home and away matches, and the schedule may be as such that a team might play many consecutive games at home or away. This is especially cruel for the fans - although this year it might not be the case, as the matches would be probably played without spectators. Another unique aspect is that the format of the league is a double round robin, but after the first half of the season, when all teams play against each other once (single round robin), the order of the games is completely different in the second half of the season, according to the classification at the end of the first half of the season.

The Lebanese Cup would also start this autumn. The first two rounds will involve only Second Division teams, and only four of them will qualify to the last 16 which will include the 12 Premier League teams and the 4 qualified Second Division teams. Bourj FC will play their first match "away" against the winner between Ahly Sidon and Ahly Nabatieh.

For all competitions, the Lebanese Football Association would provide a set of measures to avoid any health-related issues.

Cusco FC resume training sessions, the Peruvian First Division is set to restart on the 7th of August

The Peruvian Football Federation, in agreement with the Ministry of Health, has found a way to restart the Peruvian First Division under most strict medical surveillance. In terms of coronavirus, Peru is the second most affected country in Latin America, after Brazil.

Teams were allowed to restart training sessions, initially in smaller groups of players, after all players and staff have been tested. The tests revealed that 32 people (players and staff) are infected in some of the teams, with 9 only in Academia Cantolao, the most affected team. In Cusco FC two people have been found as infected, although without symptoms. However, all teams with infected people have to reschedule the training sessions, to take several extra measures and to pass several more tests. Tests will be anyway run regularly before the restart of the league on the 7th of August, and after that, before each game.

Despite the situation, Cusco FC resumed training sessions this week, respecting all the imposed health protocols. Players worked individually or in smaller groups, under the surveillance of head coach Carlos Ramacciotti and his staff of assistant coaches.

 Training sessions have resumed for Cusco FC. Source: Cusco FC Facebook page

The format of the league has been changed. The first six rounds of Apertura, already played, will become part of the newly-named "Phase 1" of the league, actually replacing Apertura, but having the same schedule and the same 19 rounds, in a single round-robin format. The 13 remaining rounds will be all played in Lima, under strict medical surveillance, therefore on neutral grounds for most teams (except for those in Lima, which have clear advantage out of this arrangement). The Peruvian Football Federation will cover the travel costs for the teams outside Lima and will provide sufficient training grounds, while the teams are responsible for the accommodation, food and other costs involved.

Because there is not much time remained to play the Clausura this year, after the end of "Phase 1", a "Phase 2" will be initiated, with teams split in two groups of 10, each playing each other in the same single round robin format. The winners of the two groups will play the finals of "Phase 2" to determine the winner of "Phase 2". If the winners of "Phase 1" and "Phase 2" are the same, they are declared as national champions. If not, a play-off would be played to determine the national champions.

Therefore, the winners of "Phase 1" and "Phase 2", and, if the case, the first two classified in the aggregate table, would play the semifinals and the finals of the championship play-off.

The last four teams in the aggregate table will be relegated to the Second Division. The national champions, as well as the winners of "Phase 1" and "Phase 2" (if different) and the best classified in the aggregate table (other than the already mentioned teams) will play in the next year Copa Libertadores, while the next four classified teams (most likely placed 5 through 8) in the aggregate table are qualified for the next year Copa Sudamericana.

Because of the very tight schedule, Copa Bicentenario will not be played this year and is postponed for 2021.
For Cusco FC, as well as for other teams outside Lima, the fact that all the games will be played in Lima would represent a disadvantage. Even more, Cusco FC and other high altitude teams (Melgar, Binacional, Cienciano, etc) will lose the clear advantage of playing their home games at high altitude. This would make them even more vulnerable and clear candidates for relegation. The fact that the league is shorter makes it even more difficult for the teams which had a weak start, like Cusco FC, because the weight of the initial 6 rounds is higher and the time to recover is smaller.
The transfer window (which is already in place until the beginning of August) is unlikely to bring many novelties, due to the general health situation in the world and in South America. Probably the teams will continue with the same players as before. For Cusco FC, this is not the greatest news, as the squad is clearly weaker than the previous year and they would need good players to get out of the relegation area.

Bourj FC resume training sessions

The Lebanese Premier League has stopped after just three rounds in October 2019 due to the political, social and economic problems in the country, and the widespread protests.

Several attempts at restarting the league were hampered by the indecision of the Lebanese FA and the clubs whether the season should continue with the same schedule or not, with or without relegation, with or without spectators.

By March 2020 it was rather clear that the 2019-2020 season was to be sacrificed and cancelled anyway, with the SARS-COVID19 pandemic striking everywhere in the world.

Football clubs in Lebanon also ceased their activities and footballers stayed at home, just like everybody else.

After three months, in June 2020, Bourj FC announced on their official Facebook page that training sessions resume in the context of the relaxation of measures imposed at national and international level.

Bourj FC footballers are back in training. Source: Bourj FC Official Facebook page. Photo by Abdullah Mahfouz.

There is hope that the 2020-2021 season of the Lebanese Premier League would start in September, possibly without spectators.

It is still uncertain if and when the Egyptian Second Division will resume

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all sporting competitions (including football) have been suspended in Egypt. The situation is different for the Premier League, where there are still many matches to be played, and the Second Division, where there are only five rounds to be played.

For the Premier League, there is a possibility that the competition will resume in summer. Last year, for other reasons, the 2018-2019 season finished late as well. This year, it would end even later, perhaps in September. There are still talks.

The situation is pretty much uncertain for the Second Division and lower leagues. In the Second Division, 17 rounds out of 22 have been played and there are only 5 rounds left, which can be played within a month or so. However, the last matches were played around the 8th of March and there are already two months and a half without any sporting activity. Some of the clubs would like the season to be finished, because activity might resume only in summer and time is needed for preparation. Players need at least two weeks of physical training before playing again.

For Fayoum SC, the situation remains difficult. With five games to play in Group A, they have slim chances to avoid relegation in case the season would resume. Their best hope would be a full cancellation of the season, with no relegation.

The table in Group A of the Second Division before the pandemic:

Table

1	Beni Suef	17	10	5	2	23-7	35	Promotion to Premier League
2	National Bank	17	10	5	2	22-9	35
3	Aluminium	17	10	2	5	20-11	32
4	Shaban Qena	17	8	7	2	14-9	31
5	Asyut Petroleum	17	7	3	7	18-21	24
6	Telephonat	17	5	8	4	17-16	23
7	Sohag	17	6	4	7	15-14	22
8	Al Minya	17	5	4	8	16-17	19	Relegation to the Third Division
9	Media	17	4	7	6	18-24	19	Relegation to the Third Division
10	Fayoum	17	5	3	9	14-17	18	Relegation to the Third Division
11	Dayrout	17	3	2	12	15-31	11	Relegation to the Third Division
12	Tahta	17	2	4	11	10-26	10	Relegation to the Third Division

The 2019-2020 season has been cancelled for lower leagues in Slovakia, teams have to enrol for the 2020-2021 season

The Slovak Super Liga (Fortuna Liga), the top football league in Slovakia, will resume in June, while there is still uncertainty regarding the 2. Liga (the Second League) of Slovakia, which might resume or not.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, football competitions for all the other leagues have been stopped and the results of the 2019-2020 season have been cancelled. The representatives of three regional football associations (East, Centre and West Slovakia) have issued a common declaration on the 26th of March 2020, providing strong arguments for the cancellation of the season, as no matches have been played in spring and it is unlikely to restart the season in due time. Therefore, there will be no promotion or relegation, and all teams will start the 2020-2021 season in the same league as in 2019-2020, taking into account the final standings of the last completed season, 2018-2019.

Teams have to enrol for the new season, according to the usual rules in this respect, before or on the 15th of June 2020. In case one or more teams fail to enrol to their corresponding league or choose to enrol in a lower league, another team may replace them, taking into account the tables at the end of the 2018-2019 season. The 2020-2021 season may start as usual, at the end of July or in August.

For the Slovak 3. Liga - East, the cancellation of the season is especially painful for the teams that were in a good position to fight for promotion to the 2. Liga, such as 1. FC Tatran Prešov and ŠK Odeva Lipany, and perhaps MFK Vranov nad Topl'ou and FK Humenné, which were not far from top before the winter break. There are still some (slim) hopes for top classified 1. FC Tatran Prešov to promote to the 2. Liga, depending on what happens to the 2. Liga in the near future. On the other hand, most of the other teams in the 3. Liga - East were probably content with the cancellation decision, and the happiest clubs were probably those at the bottom of the table, TJ FK Vel'ké Revištia and MFK Slovan Giraltovce, that were facing relegation and are now saved from it. 1. FK Svidník were on the 8th position, right in mid-table.

The 2020-2021 season will be a very tough one, for at least two reasons. First, many clubs are and will be affected by the crisis, in economic and financial terms. After the 15th of June 2020, one may see if all 16 teams are enrolled for the new season or not. Secondly, the 2020-2021 season is meant to prepare a structural change in the 3. Liga at national level, as the existing four regional groups (East, Centre, West and Bratislava) will be reduced to two groups (East and West) starting with the 2021-2022 season. This means that about half of the teams will be relegated to the 4. Liga and therefore most clubs will focus on avoiding relegation and classify in the first half of the table.

The 2019-2020 table of the 3. Liga - East at the moment of cancellation is shown below.

Final table

1	1. FC Tatran Prešov	17	14	1	2	52-14	43
2	ŠK Odeva Lipany	17	14	1	2	51-14	43
3	MFK Vranov	17	12	2	3	41-13	38
4	FK Humenné	17	11	3	3	37-13	36
5	MFK Snina	17	8	3	6	26-24	27
6	MŠK Tesla Stropkov	17	8	3	6	27-27	27
7	FK Poprad B	17	8	2	7	29-32	26
8	1. FK Svidník	17	7	4	6	27-27	25
9	TJ Mladosť Kalša	17	7	4	6	32-34	25
10	OŠFK Šarišské Michaľany	17	7	2	8	18-26	23
11	Milénium Bardejovská Nová Ves	17	6	2	9	30-40	20
12	FK NOVES Spišská Nová Ves	17	4	3	10	18-26	15
13	FK Družstevník Plavnica	17	4	3	10	16-32	15
14	FK Pokrok SEZ Krompachy	17	4	2	11	19-26	14
15	MFK Slovan Giraltovce	17	2	1	14	12-45	7
16	TJ FK Veľké Revištia	17	2	0	15	11-53	6