The Dutch health minister has warned spectators may not be able to return to watch sporting events “for a year or more”, until a vaccine is found.
Professional sport even behind closed doors in the country has been prohibited until September 1 at the earliest, which has already led to the top-flight Eredivisie football competition being forced to end prematurely with no champion crowned.
Dutch website voetbalprimeur.nl quoted a letter from health minister Hugo de Jonge to the nation’s parliament which read: “We cannot yet mention a date for the last step, the mass gatherings.
“That is actually only possible if there is a vaccine and no one knows how long it will take.
“We hope of course soon, but a year or more is very real.”
The Bundesliga on Wednesday became the first of Europe’s five major leagues to confirm a return to the field.
Matches will begin in Germany without spectators in the second half of May.
Ligue 1 in France followed the Netherlands’ lead by cancelling their competition, although they chose to award a title with defending champions Paris Saint-German, who were 12 points clear at the time of the suspension, taking the crown.
England’s Premier League remains intent on finishing the current campaign with a return in June being worked on as a possibility.
