Fans will not be allowed to attend football matches in Netherlands until coronavirus vaccine found, Dutch health minister says

Professional sport even behind closed doors in the country has been prohibited until September 1 at the earliest

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.