German Soccer's Bundesliga Given OK To Resume In May

BERLIN (AP/CBS) -- The Bundesliga can resume playing this month, ending its two-month suspension caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It will be Europe's first major football league to resume playing amid the outbreak.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a loosening of a range of containment measures after meeting with the country's 16 state governors. Pressure to relax the rules had been growing as the rate of daily infections in the country has dropped.

The earliest the league can resume is May 15, with a May 22 start date also under consideration. Soccer in the top two divisions will resume without spectators, as there is a ban on mass gatherings in Germany until Aug. 31. There will also be a range of other conditions designed to prevent another outbreak including player testing. Teams will also have to spend time in quarantine before games can restart.

The German soccer league is to hold a general meeting with the country's 36 professional clubs in the top two divisions via video link on Thursday.

The Bundesliga was suspended with nine rounds remaining on March 13. The clubs had committed to finishing the season by the end of June.