The English Premier League will officially return on June 17 after three months of suspended play. All 92 remaining games will be aired across the league’s three UK broadcast partners, as no fans will be allowed in the stadiums. The move may also reduce the amount teams have to pay back broadcasters including BT and Sky Sports, which pay the EPL upfront for rights. Before Thursday’s announcement, Manchester United said it plans to rebate $24.5 million to the networks this year.
Italy’s Serie A also received the green light to start up on June 20, and it’s possible the country’s Coppa Italia could resume a week earlier. Germany’s Bundesliga is already back in action and Spain’s La Liga is expected back on June 11.
In the U.S., MLS is reportedly now planning a shorter time frame for its proposed tournament in Orlando. The teams would stay in their home markets to train before heading to Florida. Earlier this week, the National Women’s Soccer League formally announced its 25-game tournament starting June 27 in Salt Lake City, which would make it the first U.S. team sport league to return to play.
