All Football Matches in Spain Suspended Indefinitely Due to Coronavirus Pandemic

The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said in a statement on Monday that all matches in the country, including those in the top professional league La Liga, have been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The statement pointed out that “both the RFEF and La Liga wish to express our greatest public gratitude to all those who are dedicating their best efforts to provide essential services to the Spanish people, and also share our condolences for all the deceased and a warm embrace from the world of soccer to the many families that are losing loved ones”.

“Football [in Spain] will not resume until the Spanish government deems it safe to do so without any health risk”, the statement added.

The move comes after La Liga was postponed for two rounds of matches earlier this month, when a Real Madrid basketball player who reportedly shared training facilities with the football club, tested positive for COVID-19.

Earlier, the English Premier League and other football tournaments in the UK and beyond were suspended until at least the end of April over the coronavirus, which also prompted UEFA to postpone the 2020 European Championships until the summer of 2021. UEFA’s Champions League and Europa League have also been suspended.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has meanwhile said that the Spanish government plans to extend the state of emergency in the country until 11 April. Spain remains one of the world's hardest-hit countries in terms of the coronavirus pandemic, with the number of confirmed cases and the death toll standing at 24,926 and 1,326, respectively, according to the World Health Organisation.