Bundesliga Set To Become First Major European League To Restart

The Bundesliga will become the first major European league to return to play after being given approval from the German government for a mid-May resumption.

After being given approval, the German Football League (DFL) told clubs that it wants to resume the league on 16th May, having been suspended since mid-March. Both the top flight Bundesliga and the second tier Bundesliga 2 will resume this month.

“Today’s decision is good news for the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga 2,” said Christian Seifert, CEO, DFL.

“It is associated with a great responsibility for the clubs and their employees to implement the medical and organisational requirements in a disciplined manner.

“Games without spectators are not an ideal solution for anyone. In a crisis threatening the very existence of some clubs, however, it is the only way to keep the leagues in their current form.”

The return of a major league has been met with positivity around the world in the hope that live sport might be able to come back in other countries, and Spain’s LaLiga – whose players have been given permission to return to training following the easing of some government restrictions – has sent a message of support and congratulations to its German counterpart.

“From LaLiga, we want to congratulate the Bundesliga on the decision of its Government to restart the competition in the latter part of May, in addition to the other leagues that are also reactivating in Poland, Israel, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Denmark and Portugal,” it said in a statement.

“It is very good news for European football, signalling the return to a ‘new normal’ and reactivating an industry that has such importance economically and socially. In Spain alone, football represents 1.37% of GDP, 185,000 jobs and 4.1 billion euros annually in taxes.”

Germany, meanwhile, has banned events with large crowds until 24th October which means games will take place behind closed doors for the foreseeable future.