Bundesliga prepared to continue current season without spectators from May 2020 onwards

The following findings were gained during today's extraordinary general meeting of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga.

With a view to the match operations, the clubs of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga are prepared to continue the current season in May 2020 without stadium spectators for the time beeing. The earliest date of a possible re-start could be May 9, 2020. So far, the general assembly had suspended the season until April 30, 2020. The decision on whether to restart is now up to the responsible political leaders and governmental authorities.

In order to ensure the best possible medical framework, a binding concept was also presented at the general meeting. The binding requirements drawn up by the "Task Force Sports Medicine / Special Match Operations" include strict hygiene requirements, close-knit tests and permanent monitoring. In this connection, a cooperation agreement for specialist support was concluded with five laboratory groups. All laboratories have given written assurances that the current capacities are sufficient and that Covid-19 tests by Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 players do not result in any restrictions or limitations in test capacities. According to the management report of the Robert Koch Institute from April 22, 2020, the volume of test capacities is currently 818,000 per week, based on weekly working days. Professional football would not even prove 0.4 percent of it. It can also be assumed that the laboratory capacities available in Germany will increase even further.

After intensive discussions in the past weeks, the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga has concluded agreements with almost all national media partners regarding the expected payments for the season 2019/2020. In this way, the DFL will be able to gradually provide liquidity in terms of media revenues to all clubs in the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga - depending on the further course of the season - until the planned end of the season on June 30, 2020. If the season cannot start again or is canceled, certain mechanisms for repaying apply.

In addition, the DFL Presidium also made a first decision on the partial use of the solidarity fund, which was made available by the four Champions League participants this year, FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Accordingly, the 3rd division and the women's Bundesliga will be supported with a sum of 7.5 m. Euros.

Dortmund, 23 April 2020

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