FAZ Hopes To Restart League in July

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has announced it expects the halted 2019/20 season to resume by mid-July at the latest.

FAZ Vice President Rix Mweemba said the association is preparing to submit a proposal to the government on how matches can safely resume amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to journalists at the launch of the Collins Mbesuma Academy, Mr Mweemba revealed some of the proposed measures, including playing several matches at centralised venues and regularly disinfecting facilities. 

“We have put together a document which the FAZ executive has to look at. The document will go through the Ministry of Sports for onward transmission to the Ministry of Health,” he said. 

The worst case scenario, according to Mr Mweemba, would be a mid-June start date, with two weeks of training preceding matches. 

Elsewhere in the world, other countries have already resumed their football seasons, with fixtures in Germany’s Bundesliga kicking off on 15th May after nearly two months of suspended play. 

In Zambia, it has been confirmed that the Ministry of Health will have final say on resuming play.

“It is Ministry of Health to advise that yes they (FAZ) can go ahead,” Sport Minister Emmanuel Mulenga has said.