Government opens the door for football to return safely in June

Dowden chaired a meeting with chief executives from the Premier League, EFL and Football Association to discuss plans to restart the season next month.

And he said: "Today's positive meeting I hosted with the football authorities progressed plans for the resumption of the professional game in England.

"We all agreed that we will only go ahead if it is safe to do so and the health and welfare of players, coaches and staff comes first.

"The Government is opening the door for competitive football to return safely in June.

"This should include widening access for fans to view live coverage and ensure finances from the game's resumption supports the wider football family.

"It is now up to the football authorities to agree and finalise the detail of their plans, and there is combined goodwill to achieve this for their fans, the football community and the nation as a whole.

"The Government and our medical experts will continue to offer guidance and support to the game ahead of any final decision which would put these plans into action."

Deputy chief medical officer for England Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has warned the success of socially-distanced training will determine how soon competitive matches can return.

He said: "We will have to see how that goes before it is time to move on or even think about moving on to the return of competitive football matches.

"The overall approach with easing social distancing has been one that has been tentative, measured, slow and stepwise, and that is exactly the plan that is under way for all of elite sport - not just football.

"There will be small, carefully measured, stepwise approaches to seeing what can be achieved safely.

"The first of those is, really, to return to safe training, still observing social distancing and measures are taking place, plans are taking place in quite some depth to be ready to do that, and that will be a stepwise thing."