Health secretary Matt Hancock has given hope to football fans after saying he was "open" to the idea of the game returning in June.
Football, like many other major sports, has had to be postponed in the wake of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
There has been much talk about restarting the current Premier League season, with Liverpool, after winning 27 out of the 29 games played so far, facing uncertainty over whether they will be able to lift the trophy.
But they and the Premier League were given fresh hope by the health secretary today.
Speaking on BBC Radio Four's Today programme, Mr Hancock said he was "open" to the idea of football returning in June.
Mr Hancock said: "I'm absolutely open to that, and horse racing too, which I know that both the Premier League and racing are working on how this might be doable in a safe way, but that safety has to be paramount."
Asked by presenter Justin Webb if football could go ahead if the Premier League were able to manage to get enough regular checks, Mr Hancock said: "I am open to that, but we've got to make decisions about what the relative priorities are of all the different things that could be re-opened."
Earlier, former foreign secretary and health secretary Jeremy Hunt had said that provided the right safety measures were in place, football's return could be a key morale boost for the country.
Before the League was postponed, Liverpool were on track to snag the title and mark the Reds' first Premier League win since 1990.
