The Premier League is on course to resume from the middle of June, according to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
The league has been suspended since early March due to the coronavirus outbreak in the UK.
Germany's Bundesliga returned to action at the weekend with strict testing procedures in place for players and officials with the games played behind closed doors.
Plans are now in place for a similar Premier League return with June 19 seen as the new target return date.
Dowden has explained that he is confident of meeting that date with the plan to show some of the matches on free-to-air TV to encourage the public to stay indoors.
"I had some very constructive discussions on Thursday with the FA, the EFL and the Premier League," Dowden told Sky Sports. "We are working hard to get it back in mid-June but the number one test is public safety. "f we can do this in a safe way... they are looking at returning behind closed doors and they have met with Public Health England several times to look at the safety of that.
"If we can sort that out then I am hoping we can resume in mid-June. We are also hoping to have something a bit more ambitious with a bit more free-to-air matches available. People can watch from home which will be helpful in discouraging people from leaving their homes in order to watch it, which we don't want to happen."
