Several European leagues are still hoping to return to action this summer. Ligue 1 is no longer one of them.
The Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 seasons came to an end on Tuesday after France prime minister Eduuard Philippe suspended sporting events from taking place until September as the nation continues to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. The leagues had been aiming to potentially resume their campaigns in the summer, but that is no longer an option.
“The 2019-20 season of professional sports, including football, will not be able to resume,” said Philippe. “It will be possible, on sunny days, to practice an individual sporting activity outdoors, obviously respecting the rules of social distancing.
“It will not be possible, neither to practice sport in covered places, nor team or contact sports.”
What that means for French soccer is unclear right now. France’s governing body for soccer has yet to decide whether it will abandon the seasons with no champions and promotion/relegation or whether it will base the final standings off the current tables.
When the campaigns came to a halt in March, Paris Saint-Germain was the Ligue 1 leader via a 12-point cushion over Marseille. Meanwhile, Nimes, Amiens, and Toulouse occupied the final three spots in the table.
In Ligue 2, Lorient and Lens were in the automatic promotion spots when the action was paused.
How the UEFA Champions League is effected is also unknown. UEFA wants to try and finish the current tournament, which left off in the Round of 16 phase, but both PSG and Lyon remain in the competition.
Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 are not the only campaigns to come to an end as a result of the coronavirus. The Dutch Eredivisie and Belgian Pro League announced their decisions to not resume play in recent weeks, though both leagues are reportedly considering reversing course amid growing legal action.