Despite numerous conferences initially postponing competitions and the Division I Board of Directors approving the rescheduling of Fall Championships to Spring 2021, the 2020 American Football Fall Championships went ahead for all Division I conferences. Only 3 of the 130 FBS teams did not have competitions in fall – as Old Dominion, University of Connecticut, and New Mexico State decided against playing fall sports.

The College Football Playoff semi-final scheduled for the Rose Bowl on 1 January 2021 was relocated to Arlington, Texas, due to COVID-19 restrictions in California. The National Championship Final went ahead in Miami,Florida, with a limited in-person attendance.

Click here for information regarding the playing and practice modifications which were adopted following the approval of Fall Championships being postponed and rescheduled to Spring 2021.

Following the approval of the cancellation of Fall Championships, the NCAA produced a Requirements for Each Division Related to the Conduct of Fall Sports and Championships: FAQs document.

Click here for the NCAA Championships Safety Overview.

The NCAA Division I Council have adopted emergency legislation and minimum protections for student athletes whose competitions have been impacted by COVID-19.

To provide maximum flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division I Council have waived bowl eligibility and minimum number of contest requirements for football teams in the 2020-21 season.

Click here for the Actions Related to Division I Regulations and Policies Impacted by COVID-19 document.

Click here for the Division I COVID-19 Question and Answers Guide.

The Division II Administrative Committee altered numerous regulations and policies due to COVID-19. Click here for the Actions Approved by the Division II Administrative Committee Related to Regulations and Policies Impacted by COVID-19.

The Division II Presidents Council has approved further COVID-19 protections for student athletes whose seasons are impacted by the pandemic.

Click here for the Division II COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide.

Click here for the Division III COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide.

Click here for a list of actions taken by the Division III Administrative Committee, since 13 March 2020, due to the impact of COVID-19.

The NCAA have developed a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group which brings together all three divisions to provide expert advice regarding competitions and other medical points.

The NFL 2020 regular season was completed between 10 September – 3 December 2020. Super Bowl LV was held with a limited attendance of 25,000 fans, each of whom was provided with a free PPE kit.

Due to COVID-19, many NFL teams did not allow fans to attend games and those that did permitted only limited numbers. In addition, due to local regulations prohibiting sports events, the San Francisco 49ers were forced to host two home games at the home stadium of the Arizona Cardinals.

In the NFL’s most significant outbreak to date, the Tennessee Titans were forced to suspend in-person team activities, on 29 September, and three fixtures had to be rearranged, after numerous positive COVID-19 tests were reported. The Titans were fined $350,000 for violating the COVID-19 protocols.

Ten Las Vegas Raiders players were fined on 5 October for violating the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols and procedures by failing to wear face-coverings at a charity event in Nevada. Further failures to remain in line with the COVID-19 protocols meant the Raiders were fined $500,000 and stripped of a sixth-round draft pick, and their Head Coach Jon Gruden was fined $150,000.

The 2020 NFL International Series and 2021 Pro Bowl were cancelled, with all International Series games moved back to the USA and the Pro Bowl going virtual.

The NFL circulated gameday protocols for the 2020 season which included prohibiting jersey swaps and inter-squad interactions within six feet following games. Further updates were circulated on 23 November, including a mandate for players to wear face coverings on pitch sidelines if they are not wearing a helmet.

The NFL and NFLPA produced plans for players to opt-out of the 2020 season should they wish to due to COVID-19 concerns. Click here for a list of those players who opted out.

There was a temporary Injured Reserves list in 2020 for those players who tested positive for COVID-19 and therefore could not compete or practice.

In light of the national lockdown, England Athletics has announced a suspension of all face to face amateur athletic activity, including amateur indoor and outdoor competitions. However, elite sport can continue. Amateur outdoor competitions should be permitted from 29 March, subject to securing licenses from DCMS. Click here to see how athletics fits in with the England roadmap out of lockdown.

Many events are taking place again, though some events are being postponed and cancelled including:

-World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing (19-21 March 2021). Postponed to March 2023.

Click here for an updated calendar and click here for a summary of the latest changes to the calendar.

World Athletics has published COVID-19 Protection Procedures (last updated January 2021) which provide the minimum requirements that competition organisers should implement to help protect athletes, support personnel and others involved in competitions. Anyone involved in World Athletics events must follow the procedures and any breach could result in removal of results.

Badminton has resumed in some regions, though many events remain cancelled. Click here for the 2021 calendar. The YONEX German Open 2021, scheduled for 9-14 March 2021, has been cancelled.

The 2020 season came to a close with the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals in January 2021.

The BWF World Rankings restarted on 1 February. Until further notice, the rankings will feature all tournaments included on the rankings as of 17 March 2020, when the rankings were frozen. Conversely, World Junior Rankings have been frozen since 1 January 2021 until a more consistent competition schedule is in place.

The qualification period for the Olympic Games will restart at YONEX Swiss Open in Week 9, 2021 and will be extended until 15 June 2021, with the last tournament counting for qualification being the Singapore Open 2021.

BWF’s safety protocols and operating procedures for the return to international badminton can be viewed here.

Click here for the BWF’s ongoing COVID-19 updates.

Click here for BWF’s statement regarding the anti-doping procedures implemented by WADA during COVID-19.

Badminton England has won a grant of £1.3 million to provide COVID-19 tests to participants.

Click here to view the revised calendar completed in the 2020 season.

On 11 July, CPBL reached the milestone of having over 10,000 fans attend a fixture for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has formed part of the steady increases in fan attendances, with attendance limits eventually increased to 78% of the stadium’s capacity.

Following medical advice, the MLB proposed that the start of 2021 Spring Training and the 2021 MLB season be delayed by one-month, in order to better protect the health and safety of players and staff. However, this proposal was rejected by the MLBPA and the season will begin as normal on 1 April.

The MLB has announced a revised Spring Training schedule which began on 28 February and was developed with health and safety considerations in mind. Click here for the details.

Click here for a guide to the 2021 season.

Click here for a guide to which teams will be permitting fans to attend games during the 2021 season.

The MLB allowed a limited number of fans to attend the National League Championship Series and World Series in Arlington, Texas. The stadium operated at approximately 28% capacity, with around 11,500 tickets available.

The MLB All Star Game and Field of Dreams Game were both cancelled for 2020.

The MLB confirmed the health and safety rule changes that were in place for the 2020 season, including the introduction of a universal designated hitter. Click here for a press release regarding those changes and here for the rules and protocols in full.

Click here for the NCAA Championships Safety Overview.

The NCAA have relaxed Division I roster restrictions for 2021 to allow for seniors – whose final season was cancelled – to return to their college teams. Click here for the press release.

Updates have been made to the Actions Related to Division I Regulations and Policies Impacted by COVID-19 document. Click here to review the Actions document.

Click here for the Division I COVID-19 Question and Answers Guide.

The Division II Administrative Committee have altered numerous regulations and policies that have been influenced by COVID-19, including reduced bracket and field sizes for 2021 Spring Championships. Click here for the Actions Approved by the Division II Administrative Committee Related to Regulations and Policies Impacted by COVID-19.

Click here for the Division II COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide.

Click here for the Division III COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide.

Click here for a list of actions taken by the Division III Administrative Committee, since 13 March, due to the impact of COVID-19.

The NCAA have developed a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group which brings together all three divisions to provide expert advice regarding competitions and other medical points.

The WBSC have issued guidelines for the safe return of baseball/softball, including a minimum 1m distance between players on benches and the avoidance of all physical contact. Click here for the guidelines.

The dates and general schedule for Olympic baseball at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 have been confirmed.

The WBSC has confirmed that the IV WBSC Congress will be held in March 2022 in Taipei. It was originally scheduled to be in November 2021 but has been delayed in order to avoid any issues caused by a congested 2021 calendar, given that numerous competitions have been delayed by COVID-19.

The WBSC has compiled a 2020 timeline of news articles relating to baseball and COVID-19. Click here to view it.

The new EuroLeague Basketball season began on 1 October 2020. Click here for fixtures and results.

The 2021 EuroLeague Final Four will be hosted in Cologne, Germany. This is where the 2020 event was planned to be held prior to its cancellation due to COVID-19.

EuroLeague Basketball and its constituent clubs agreed upon coronavirus response guidelines aimed at hosting competitions and welcoming fans back to spectate as soon as possible. These guidelines are not mandatory but are available for implementation by any club who chooses. It has been reported that a new draft COVID-19 protocol has been issued to teams and it was finalised on 15 September.

Due to the need to comply with local health guidelines, 11 of the 18 EuroLeague teams began their season without spectators attending games. Between 400 and 7,500 fans are being allowed to attend the remaining teams’ games, with the exact number dependent on venue size and local legislations.

Click here for EuroLeague’s COVID-19 news page – including updates regarding team members who test positive for COVID-19 during the season – and click here for a list of recent fixtures rescheduled due to the pandemic.

The FIBA Board have approved format changes for the 2020-21 Women’s EuroLeague competition. Click here to review their statement. The first “Hub” competitions were held between 29 November and 5 December and the locations have been revealed for the upcoming Quarter-Final “hubs”.

Following suspension on 12 March 2020, the 2019-20 EuroLeague season was cancelled on 25 May 2020. No team was recognised as champions and all 18 teams who participated in 2019-20 are competing in the 2020-21 season.

FIBA published a second edition of its Restart Guidelines for the return to basketball, addressed to National Federations wishing to restart basketball activities.

The format of the 2020-21 Basketball Champions League Play-Offs and Finals has been updated in accordance with the latest COVID-19 regulations.

FIBA has extended the FIBA 3x3 rankings freeze until April 2021, to provide protection for players, teams and national federations.

The remaining Olympic qualification places are reserved for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, scheduled for 2021. Click here for more information.

Click here to review the scheduled dates for basketball competitions at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The February 2021 Qualifiers for the Continental Cup were hosted in “bubbles” of 4 or 8 teams, to minimise the health and safety risks to athletes and support personnel. Click here for the details of these “bubbles”.

The London Lions were ruled out of the FIBA Europe Cup Regular Season taking place in hubs, due to several positive tests for COVID-19 during the mandatory pre-travel testing procedures.

The Basketball Arbitral Tribunal have issued COVID-19 Guidelines addressing, amongst other things, amicable settlements, and contractual obligations. Click here to review the guidelines.

Click here for FIBA’s tracker regarding the status of professional basketball leagues worldwide.

The 2020/21 NBA season includes 72 regular season games for each team – fewer than the usual 82-games. The season also began approximately two-months later than usual, on 22 December, due to the delays in completing the 2020 season. Click here for information regarding the first half of the schedule.

Numerous games have now been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks. This prompted a meeting between the NBA and NBPA regarding changes to the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The NBA has expanded active rosters for the 2021 season to 15 players. This is in anticipation that some players may miss games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Canada, the Toronto Raptors are using Tampa as a temporary home location for the beginning of the 2020/21 season. This move allows the team to compete in the 2020-21 NBA season without having to work around the Canadian border travel restrictions.

Despite player concerns regarding COVID-19, the 2021 All-Star Game went ahead in Atlanta as planned. This involved the creation of a “mini bubble” with enhanced COVID-19 testing.

The NBA completed their 2020 season from 30 July – 12 October, with the 22 teams that were in playoff contention competing in a condensed competition at ESPN Wide World of Sports, Orlando, FL. Click here for details regarding how the 2020 NBA season was held and click here for an article regarding how antibody testing was incorporated.

The NBA pushed back the 2020 Draft to 18 November and held it online-only.

The 2020-21 college basketball season began on 25 November, with no exhibition games or closed scrimmages allowed prior to that date.

On 25 September, the NCAA released health and safety guidelines for college basketball. These include guidelines regarding COVID-19 tests and access to the court and bench areas during competitions.

The NCAA will host the 2021 March Madness in the city of Indianapolis – given the use of 13 preliminary round sites, as originally planned, would create greater COVID-19 concerns. The Women’sBasketball Championships will be hosted in San Antonio, replacing the usual64-team championship bracket. The Health and Safety Protocols for the tournament were released on 6 January and new bracketing principles were released on 15 January and flexibility has been provided to allow conferences to adjust their automatic qualifier policy if deemed necessary.

The capacities for the DI Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships have been announced. The men’s tournament will allow up to 25% capacity in all rounds whilst the women’s tournament will have a 17% capacity from the Sweet 16 though to the Final Four. All events will also be livestreamed.

Contingency plans have been developed for teams that need to withdraw, due to COVID-19, from Division I Men’s and Women’s basketball championships in 2021.

Click here for the NCAA Championships Safety Overview.

The Division I Council has altered eligibility requirements for 2020/21 winter sports athletes. Each athlete will now receive an additional season of competition and an additional year in which to complete their seasons, in keeping with changes made for Spring and Fall sports following the impacts of COVID-19.

Updates have been made to the Actions Related to Division I Regulations and Policies Impacted by COVID-19 document.

The Division II Championships are to be hosted at predetermined men’s and women’s regional sites. Click here for a list of those.

Division II have developed replacement policies for their winter championships, covering, for example, withdrawal scenarios relating to COVID-19.

Click here for the Division I COVID-19 Question and Answers Guide.

The Division II Management Council have granted winter athletes a further season of competition as part of their COVID-19 relief.

The Division II Administrative Committee have altered numerous regulations and policies which have been influenced by COVID-19, including reduced bracket and field sizes for 2021 Winter and Spring Championships. Click here for the details of amendments.

Updates have been made to the Division II COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide.

The Division III Administrative Committee have decided to cancel the 2021 Winter Championships based on the low participation numbers among their member schools.

The Division III Management Council sent a recommendation to the Presidents Council for allowing all student athletes to compete up to the established dates of competition/contest maximums without being charged a season of participation this academic year, due to the effects of COVID-19.This was voted on on 28 October.

Click here for the Division III COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide.

Click here for a list of actions taken by the Division III Administrative Committee due to the impact of COVID-19.

The NCAA have developed a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group which brings together all three divisions to provide expert advice regarding competitions and other medical points.

The WNBA and WNBPA agreed on plans to complete a 22-game season and standard playoffs at IMG Academy, Florida. This began on 25 July and ended on 6 October with Seattle Storm becoming the 2020 WNBA Champions.

The 2020 WNBA Draft was held virtually on 17 April. Click here for details.

On 5 May 2020, the WBC published plans for the return of boxing during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include boxers and their teams remaining in 14 days' isolation prior to a bout, with all bouts occurring behind closed doors. Click here for an article with further details.

The WBC has extended a relief fund to support active and retired boxers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 15 June 2020, the WBO published their COVID-19 Protocol for the return of professional boxing. This protocol includes stages for returning to training and best practice recommendations for the staging of competitions. Click here to review the protocol.

On 21 May 2020, the WBA published guidelines for the return to boxing which encompass a five-phase return to the ring. Click here for the guidelines.

The International Olympic Committee's Boxing Task Force has announced that the European Olympic Boxing qualification event will no longer take place in London from 22-26 April due to “the current situation and increased travel restrictions to/from the UK and taking into consideration the feedback received from the European Boxing Federations and National Olympic Committees.” The Boxing Task Force have announced that it will take place in Paris from 4-8 June. See here for more information.

Buenos Aires has been confirmed as the destination for the Tokyo 2020 Americas qualifier, from 10-16 May.

The IOC Boxing Task Force have confirmed that the Tokyo 2020 qualification system will be amended to permit alternative qualification where a boxer cannot qualify at an event. Click here for more information.

Domestic cricket resumed in India on 10 January, with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, having been on hold since 14 March 2020. Click here for competition details.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in India, the Indian Premier League 2020 season was completed in the United Arab Emirates from 19 September until 10 November. Click here for the results.

The BCCI has confirmed that India will not tour Sri Lanka or Zimbabwe, as scheduled, this summer. However, a tour of Australia has taken place, including T20I, ODI and Test fixtures. Click here for India’s travelling squad and here for results.

The England Men’s white-ball tour of India was postponed until March 2021, due to the impacts of COVID-19 both directly and upon the wider cricketing schedule.

The fourth Test in Australia’s series versus India was played in Brisbane, despite COVID-19 quarantine concerns and the preparation of Sydney Cricket Ground as a back-up option.

COVID-19-related border closures between Australian states forced BBL schedule changes, but the season was still completed.

Both the Australia Men’s test match versus Afghanistan and ODI series versus New Zealand were pushed back until 2021, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The fourth T20 International in the series against New Zealand was relocated from Auckland to Wellington after a lockdown was imposed upon the city of Auckland.

Cricket Australia hosted the full 59-game season of the Women’s Big Bash League in Sydney, using Sydney Olympic Park as a “Village”.

Cricket Australia were forced to reschedule games in the Marsh Sheffield Shield following amendments to quarantine rules in Victoria. This included postponing Victoria’s first game.

The Men’s Tour of South Africa was cut short after the ODI series was postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests within the “bubble” in place. The T20I series was not affected.

Upon arrival in Sri Lanka, ahead of the Men’s tour of the country, Moeen Ali tested positive for COVID-19, leading to him and his close contacts having to self-isolate. The wider tour continued as planned.

The inaugural season of The Hundred was postponed until 2021. The organisers have confirmed that players in the women’s competition will be offered the chance to roll-over their contracts to the 2021 competition, with the same teams and the same contractual terms. Click here for player updates regarding the 2021 competition.

The England Men’s and Women’s international schedules were updated, and included tours of England by Ireland and Pakistan and a white-ball series against Australia in September. However, the tour of India was postponed until February and March 2021, due to the impacts of COVID-19 both directly and upon the wider cricketing schedule.

The England Men’s summer 2020 schedule was completed behind closed doors at the Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford. This included a test series against the West Indies, as the first professional cricket competition held since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The England Women’s team completed a T20 series against the West Indies between 21 – 30 September 2020. However, South Africa were unable to travel for their series, which was also scheduled for September.

The Bob Willis Trophy and Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy were both finalised, with Essex and Southern Vipers winning each competition, respectively. These were amended competitions designed to ensure that professional domestic test cricket competitions were held for both men and women in 2020. The 2021 County Championships will be played in a group format in order to reduce any possible impacts of COVID-19, with the competition reverting back to its normal structure the following year. Click here for the fixtures.

Click here for a question and answer page regarding the impacts of COVID-19 on cricket in England and Wales.

The ECB have unveiled plains for a full summer of international cricket to be held in 2021, including three men’s test series and two women’s series.

The 2020 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new international schedule means that this will be held in 2022, as will the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup – which was originally scheduled for February 2021. Details of qualification for the men’s competition can be found here.

The ICC approved interim rule changes to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in competitions.

The ICC approved amendments to the ICC World Test Championship points system due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UCI have approved various international racing calendars for 2021.Click here to view the calendars.

Road: An FAQ on the Health Protocols can be found here.

Track: Click here to view the revised calendar.

Mountain Bike (MTB): Click here to view the calendar. On 24 August 2020, the UCI published a protocol for the resumption of MTB competitions. Click here to view the protocol.

On 9 April 2020, the UCI adopted a series of measures to confront the economic effects of COVID-19 on cycling.

The 2020/21 World Championships at Alexandra Palace, London, were won by Gerwyn Price on 3 January. Given London’s Tier 4 status at that time, the event was held behind closed doors.

The 2021 Unibet Premier League season will begin behind closed doors in Milton Keynes in April.

DartPlayers Australia have announced that their 2021 Pro Tour will be played across seven regional “bubbles” due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Click here for the PDC calendar.

All tournaments are cancelled until at least March 2021. Cancelled events include the WDF Americas Cup, Asia/Pacific Cup and Europe Cup.

The largest open darts tournament in the world, the Dutch Open Darts, was postponed from February 2021 to September 2021.

The WDF provided updates on 29 December regarding tournaments affected by COVID-19.

WDF has confirmed that, due to the reduction in tournaments in 2020, all ranking points accumulated in 2020 will be carried forward into 2021, rather than running on the typical 12 month rolling system.

Click here for an update on the world rankings criteria for 2021.

Click here for the WDF calendar.

The FEI has produced various COVID-19 policies, guidelines and procedures:

-FEI Policy for Enhanced Competition Safety during the Covid-19 Pandemic (updated 12 October). All FEI events must comply with this. The policy includes mandatory risk assessments by event organisers and the enforcement of social distancing at competition. The FEI may open disciplinary proceedings against anyone who breaches these rules.

-Guidelines for prize giving protocols and media activities at FEI Events during the Covid-19 pandemic (effective since 1 September). The guidance recommends that handshakes, hugs etc. should be avoided and face masks must be used by everyone involved apart from athletes mounted on a horse or driving a carriage. Non-compliance may lead to sanctions under the FEI Covid-19 Policy.

-Specific COVID-19 guidelines for each discipline (downloadable here).

-Veterinary-specific guidelines (updated on 11 September), which can be found here. These are intended to be best-practice recommendations to avoid the spread of Covid-19.

A “checklist” to help officials attending events during COVID-19 has also been published with advice to help officials plan and stay safe. Click here to view.

On 17 November, the FEI Board made an emergency resolution allowing the FEI Headquarters to derogate from the rules on a case by case to ensure there are the necessary FEI Officials at competitions. This is in light of the difficulties faced by organisers to fulfil the requirements regarding FEI Officials at their Events because of COVID-19.

On 15 December, the FEI Board approved additional updates to the Resolution on deadlines for late date applications and Date Clash Rules initially approved on 10 September, including increased “leniency” on some deadlines until further notice. The relevant table can be found here. This table includes the deadlines by which the Calendar late date application/modification forms, draft schedules and COVID-19 risk assessment and mitigation plans must be received for Events to be considered for inclusion in the Calendar. View the Resolution in full here.

The FEI has approved policies to mitigate the impact of event cancellations on rankings. Click here for the policy regarding the Longines rankings and click here for the policy regarding the FEI rankings.

The FEI has approved changes to 2021 Olympic qualification regulations, including the introduction of “Confirmation Results” where an athlete and horse pairing achieved minimum entry requirements for the Olympics during 2019.

On 10 September, the FEI Board made several resolutions amending the competition rules for several disciplines and specific events due to COVID-19. Click here for the multi-disciplinary resolutions and click here to see the resolutions relating to Jumping.

Changes made to the calendars and regulations of specific disciplines are published by the FEI and can be found here.

The Chinese Super League started on 25 July 2020 having been delayed since 22 February 2020. Click here for an article.

The season was completed without any individual from within the closed living and training zone testing positive for COVID-19.

Shanghai SIPG v. Beijing Guoan on 22 August 2020 was the first football fixture in China with fans in attendance since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 1588 fans attended, with regulations including a requirement for fans to present a COVID-19 test certificate proving they have reported negative for the virus in the week leading up to the game. More recently, over 2,000 fans were permitted to watch the Shanghai derby match between Shanghai SIPG and Shanghai Shenhua.

View the guidelines for a restart to the season published by the Chinese Football Association here.

The 2020-21 Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 seasons began on 18 September 2020. Click here for the fixtures and results.

Safety regulations for the season include disinfecting footballs, social distancing on side-lines and the wearing of masks by substitutes and team personnel on the side-lines. Click here for an article discussing the rules.

All Bundesliga games are being held behind closed doors, since 2 November, after Germany went into a second lockdown. Clubs had been permitted to bring back up to 20% of fans, if local health authorities approved and if infection numbers remained below a 7-day incidence of 35.

The 2020/21 season for the Sky Bet EFL, Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy is underway – with Sky Bet EFL competitions beginning on 12 September 2020 and culminating on the weekend of 8/9 May 2021. Click here for the fixtures.

The Carabao Cup Final has been rescheduled to 25 April 2021 in order to maximise the number of fans that will be able to attend the event.

It has been confirmed that, since 20 November, EFL clubs will be permitted to use up to five substitutes per game for the remainder of the 2020/21 season. This is a regulation which arises out of the IFAB’s decision to permit leagues to introduce five substitutions per-game rules due to COVID-19 and its impacts on professional football training and fixture congestion. The amendment does not impact cup competitions.

The EFL has introduced COVID-19 safety protocols for the resumption of matches. Click here to review.

Grimsby Town became the first club in England to be fined following breaches of the EFL’s COVID-19 rules. Click here for details.

Click here for the EFL’s COVID-19 updates webpage, where you can find protocols and statements on COVID-19 testing.

The EFL and Premier League have agreed upon a financial rescue package in order to address the immediate financial challenges faced by the EFL as a result of COVID-19.

The 2020/21 Premier League season started on 12 September 2020, just six weeks after the 2019/20 season finished, and will culminate on 23 May 2021. Click here for the fixtures.

Numerous Premier League fixtures have been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks, including two Fulham matches. In response to criticisms, the Premier League has stated there is no deadline for how late a fixture can be postponed, in relation to its planned kick-off time. Despite these postponements, it has also been reported that the Premier League does not plan to “pause” its season.

Safety measures have been put in place for before, during, and after the matches. Click here, here, and here to review them.

There has been no winter break during the 2020/21 Premier League season in order to combat the fixture congestion caused by the season beginning late, due to the impacts of COVID-19.

The EFL and Premier League have agreed upon a financial rescue package in order to address the immediate financial challenges faced by the EFL as a result of COVID-19.

Following a survey of clubs, the FA has decided to curtail the seasons of Steps 3-6 in the National League System, with no further matches taking place for the 2020/21 season.

The FA have updated their guidelines regarding the return of fans to National League and Women’s professional competitions.

Notts County withdrew from the FA Cup after numerous positive COVID-19 tests within the team. Subsequently, King’s Lynn, whom Notts County were supposed to play, were awarded a bye to the first round.

The FA Trophy and FA Vase finals have both been delayed due to the government’s COVID-19 guidance on fans. The matches were due to take place at Wembley on 27 September and were postponed in order to allow fans to attend at a later date. In addition, the 2020/21 Fourth Round fixtures have been postponed following changes to Government regulations.

Click here for the FA’s latest update following the Government’s statement regarding the return of fans to professional football matches.

FIFA TMS have published an updated Worldwide Registrations Periods calendar. This will dictate the timings of player transfers in the upcoming transfer windows.

FIFA have made further amendments to the international match calendars in light of COVID-19. Click here to review those changes.

The International Football Association Board made temporary alterations to the Laws of the Game, which include permitting five substitutions to be made per team in each game. Since then, IFAB have made it possible for leagues to continue with this rule into 2021.

The Bureau of the FIFA Council initially made temporary adaptations to the rules on clubs releasing players in the September 2020 window. These changes introduced circumstances which clubs can rely upon to decide not to release their players for national team duty. On 1 October 2020, the Bureau extended these adaptations into future international windows, whilst also approving FIFA’s Return to Football – International Match Protocol which is designed to ensure a safe return to international football.

FIFA have also published guidelines to address the legal consequences of COVID-19, including details regarding player contracts and transfers. Click here for a press release and to review the COVID-19 Football Regulatory Issues document in full.

FIFA have made temporary amendments to their Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, as well as the Rules Governing the Procedures of the Players Status Committee and the Dispute Resolution Chamber. Click here to review the amendments.

FIFA have updated their futsal international match calendar for 2020 and 2021. You can view the updates here.

The 2021 K League season began on 27 February.

The K League began its 2020 season behind closed doors on 8 May, as the original 8 February 2020 season start was postponed. Click here for an article. The season has now been completed.

In beginning the season, the K League published additional health and safety guidance which included a team not playing for at least two weeks if a player or staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The guidance also provided details as to how the season would have been concluded if it terminated prematurely. Click here to review the guidance.

The 2020/21 season began on 12 September. Click here for the fixtures and results.

New health and safety rules have been in place since the end of the 2019/2020 season, including social distancing between substitutes who all wear masks. Each team was also be allowed up to five substitutions per game to combat fatigue associated with the reduced time frame to complete the season. Click here for an article detailing the changes.

After Ligue 1 and 2 were cancelled in April, the 2020/21 Ligue 1 started on 21 August. On 3 September, Paris Saint-Germain confirmed six of its players, including Neymar, had tested positive for COVID-19, although their opener against Lens on 10 September still went ahead.

A COVID-19 outbreak amongst the Lens squad caused their 25 October fixture versus Nantes to be postponed and rescheduled for 24 November. Similarly, a number of positive tests amongst OGC Nice’s squad means their 21 November fixture versus Marseille has been postponed.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on income, the LFP has demanded an emergency government bailout.The combined losses of Ligue 1 clubs has been reported as over €1.3 billion.

Serie A will begin on 19 September. Click here for the fixtures.

In the resumed 2019/20 season, any player testing positive for coronavirus, had to self-isolate and the rest of their squad was placed into a four-day isolation. Similar protocols may be in place for the new season. Click here for an article on the matter.

Positive tests for COVID-19 were reported for three AC Milan players. In accordance with protocols, the three players entered an isolation period and the remainder of the team were tested for COVID-19 once again.

Ahead of the 2021 season, Toronto FC were forced to halt their preseason training due to an outbreak of COVID-19 within the club.

Due to movement restrictions across the Canada-USA border, caused by COVID-19, CF Montreal will begin their 2021 MLS season home games at the home of Inter Miami CF, in Florida. Click here for details. Similarly, Toronto FC are training in Orlando, Florida, and may use a nearby location for their 2021 home games.

The 2020 MLS regular season resumed on 17 August 2020 and was completed on 13 December 2020. The 2021 MLS season will have a delayed start, on 17 April, with preseason training camps also delayed.

Following an outbreak within the team, numerous Colorado Rapids matches were postponed, with some rescheduled. Other matches which were postponed due to COVID-19 positive tests include the Week 17 games between Orlando City and Columbus Crew, and FC Dallas and Minnesota United, plus the Week 18 game between Minnesota United and Chicago Fire.

Due to postponements, the final MLS standings were determined using a points-per-game system. This impacted the Western Conference but not the Eastern, where all teams completed 23 matches each.

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against French club Rennes for non-compliance with COVID-19 rules in relation to spectators during the team's Champions League game against FC Krasnodar. A hearing occurred on 10 November. Click here for details.

Euro 2020 has been postponed by 12 months, with the proposed new dates being 11 June to 11 July 2021. Click here for the announcement and click here for an updated calendar of UEFA competitions next season.

There are reports suggesting the rescheduled Euro 2020 Championships will be hosted in England in their entirety, in order to avoid significant international travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 UEFA Super Cup went ahead on 24 September as a test event for the return of fans to stadiums. 15,180 fans attended the match which was won by Bayern Munich.

On 1 October, the UEFA Executive Committee permitted the partial return of spectators for UEFA matches. Where local laws allow, stadia are permitted to host fans up to 30% of their capacity, with home fans only.

Before the return of competitions, UEFA released a medical and operational protocol, which will be applied to all UEFA competitions held during the COVID-19 pandemic. UEFA has also published principles to be applied in case matches are postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19related reasons. Click here to view.

On 23 April, the postponed 2021 Women’s European Championships were officially moved to July 2022. Click here for a press release.

The UEFA Executive Committee has adopted emergency measures in response to COVID-19, which include postponing the assessment of the 2020 financial year and combining it with the 2021 assessment. UEFA have also called upon member federations to adopt a transfer deadline no later than 5 October 2020. Click here for the details of the Executive Committee’s emergency measures.

On 24 September, the UEFA Executive Committee agreed to expand the March and September 2021 international windows to three fixtures, as opposed to two. This will allow for the completion of international competitions which could not beheld in March 2020.

The 2020/21 WSL season began on 6 September. Click here for results and upcoming fixtures.

Click here for the rearranged Women’s FA Cup fixtures, following a period of government-imposed national lockdown.

After a member of their squad tested positive for COVID-19, Aston Villa Women’s 11 and 17 October WSL fixtures were postponed. Another Aston Villa fixture (versus Arsenal), and Manchester City v. West Ham United, was also postponed in January.

On 25 May 2020, The FA decided to terminate the 2019/2020 FA Women’s Super League and the FA Women’s Championship seasons.

The final 2020 standings were decided on a points-per-game basis. Click here for details.

The European Tour has now resumed. Events are being held without fans, and will proceed in line with the European Tour’s Health Strategy, which includes on-site screening and the imposition of a ‘buddy’ system.

The Oman Open has been postponed due to COVID-19, becoming the first 2021 European Tour event to have done so.

Click here to view the currently proposed revised tournament schedule.

Click here to review a press release from the European Tour regarding safety measures in place to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection.

The LPGA Tour has resumed. Off-site testing is being performed, a ‘bubble’ system is in place, and temperature screening is being carried out.

Click here to view the currently proposed revised tournament schedule.

It has been announced that the world rankings system will be amended to take account of the fact that certain players may, due to travel restrictions etc, be unable to attend certain events.

LPGA and Ladies European Tour executives have stated that they do not intend to alter the dates of the Solheim Cup in 2021, despite the that the Ryder Cup is now also scheduled to take place in September 2021. However, the Ladies European Tour has changed the manner in which the European team will be picked, in order to account for disrupted schedules caused by COVID-19, and it has been announced that the Solheim Cup will move to even years from 2024, to avoid a clash with the Ryder Cup.

The PGA Tour recommenced on 11 June. Events are being played without fans and with social distancing measures in place. The PGA Tour reportedly released a memo setting out the measures to be put in place to permit a return to play, however that memo has not been published. Nevertheless, it has been reported that the measures include a testing regime, chartered travel arrangements and the provision of PPE.

Various players have been required to withdraw in the run-up to, or during, tournaments, either because they or their caddy tested positive.

As a result, the PGA Tour has reportedly tightened its procedures and will, amongst other new measures, require players’ coaches to be tested and discourage players from visiting local gyms.

It has been reported that the PGA Tour will pay players a stipend in respect of the 10 day period of self-isolation that they have to undergo following a COVID-19 related withdrawal. However, it has also been reported that no stipend will be payable if the player in question did not follow the relevant safety protocols.

Certain PGA tournaments have now begun to allow fans to attend, albeit in limited numbers. For example, it has been announced that a limited number of fans will be allowed to attend the 85th Masters in April.

Click here to view the revised tournament schedule.

It was announced on 8 July that the 2020 RyderCup will be postponed until September 2021. Whistling Straits in Wisconsin is toremain the venue.

Click here to download the latest Medical Guidelines for FIG Competitions and Events During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The protocols include collecting health information from all athletes two weeks in advance of events, participants providing negative COVID-19 tests before leaving their country of origin, cleaning all surfaces and objects used by multiple individuals and modifying social interactions in training, award ceremonies etc.

Click here for a list of postponed or cancelled World Cups and here for a list of changes to the calendar since January 2021

The All-Around World Cup Series in Artistic Gymnastics has been cancelled. The qualification places for Tokyo 2020 (which were set to be awarded based on the series) will be reallocated using the results of the 2019 World Championships. The World Cup in Tokyo had been intended as a test event for the Olympic Games in Artistic Gymnastics so a national event will instead be run as an operational test.

The 1st FIG Parkour World Championships has been postponed for a second time. It was due to take place in April 2020 and was originally rescheduled to March 2021, but has now been postponed indefinitely due to travel restrictions.

On 17 September, the FIG announced that all athletes’ 2020 licenses will be automatically renewed for 12 months’ free of charge, due to the limited opportunities to compete this year.

On 5 March, the FIG published a revised qualification system for the Tokyo Olympic Games. This is mostly unchanged from the last version with a few clarifications of how remaining quota places will be earned or reallocated in case qualifying competitions do not take place. Click here to review.

Grassroots and club hockey is suspended in England due to the current lockdown. Elite sport can continue.

The 2020/21 season of indoor hockey has been cancelled – click here for the England Hockey statement.

England Hockey has announced that the Vitality Women’s and Men’s Hockey Leagues will be played with a shortened season this year – with plans for this to start (if possible) immediately post-Easter through to early May. There will be no relegation and teams can withdraw without penalty. If this cannot go ahead, the season will be cancelled outright. A decision will be taken in early March.

Click here for England Hockey’s FAQs about Return to Play.

The FIH has produced guidance on making playing fields safe and on returning to hockey in light of COVID-19.

The FIH Pro League (originally halted by COVID-19 in March) resumed on 22 September and the season will be extended until June 2021. To limit the spread of the virus, matches will be played behind closed doors, there will be team bubbles and there will be mandatory COVID-19 testing before matches.

The FIH Pro League (originally halted by COVID-19 in March) resumed on 22 September and the season will be extended until June 2021. Around half of the matches have now been played, though some teams outside of Europe, such as Australia, Argentina and China are yet to play. To limit the spread of the virus, matches will be played behind closed doors, there will be team bubbles and there will be mandatory COVID-19 testing before matches. Click here for more details and for the match schedule. Two matches in Britain and Germany were postponed in November due to strict travel restrictions in Europe – new dates are yet to be set.

The FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup – initially scheduled for February 2021 – has been postponed until February 2022 to maximise the experience for fans and athletes.

Due to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, the FIH has updated its qualification processes for the Hockey World Cups 2022/23 by increasing the number of quota places available through Continental Championships.

The hockey timetable for the postponed Tokyo Olympics was published on 17 July. It can be found here. The pools for the Olympic hockey competitions remain unchanged from how they were determined in November 2019.

Only key personnel essential to running races are permitted at racecourses until further notice (see Section 6 of the COVID-19 Guidelines here).

Click here for BHA’s updated Guidelines and Operating Procedures for behind closed doors racing.

Click here for the BHA’s rolling COVID-19 updates.

Races have been taking place behind closed doors in multiple locationsaround the world.

The IFHA Calendar of events is available on the IFHA website.

Horseracing resumed in Ireland at the beginning of June behind closed doors.

HRI has released its 2020 statistics which can be viewed here. Unsurprisingly attendance was down 91.1% compared to 2019 and prize money was down by 23.4%.

The HRI and IHRB have developed a COVID-19 Protocol for behind closed doors racing (updated January 2021). The latest version can be downloaded here.

Click here for the HRI’s COVID-19 hub for updates and explanations of the COVID-19 protocols.

Click here to download the IHRB’s COVID-19 Industry Guidance document.

Click here for COVID-19 advice for horse racing businesses from Work in Racing.

The IIHF have produced a roadmap for the safe return of ice hockey. This is divided into four phases from Phase 1 Lockdown to Phase 4 Games. Click here to review the roadmap.

The IIHF’s COVID-19 Expert Group held its first meeting on 20 August 2020 in order to analyse the status of all tournaments in the IIHF’s 2020/21 calendar and provide the IIHF Council with recommendations regarding the viability of the events.

The IIHF has rescinded the awarding of the 2021 World Championships to Riga/Minsk (a joint bid).This is due in part to concerns regarding COVID-19 spreading in Belarus. Latvia alone has now been confirmed as sole host.

The 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in Switzerland, which were cancelled on 21 March, will not be rescheduled to 2021. Click here for a press release.

The 2020/21 Champions Hockey League was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in Europe, such as travel restrictions preventing certain matches being played.

An Extra-Ordinary Congress has designated the tournaments that will comprise the 2021 World Championship program and the qualification program for the 2020 Olympic Women’s tournament. Click here for a press release.

The IIHF Continental Cup 2020/21 has been cancelled following advice from the IIHF COVID-19 Expert Group. Click here for a list of other competitions cancelled following advice from the Expert Group.

The 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships were held in a “bubble” set-up. Click here for the details.

Click here for a Q&A with the IIHF President following the most recent IIHF Council meeting.

On 12 March 2020, the NCAA cancelled all remaining Winter and Spring Championships, such that the NCAA 2020 ice hockey season was not completed. Click here for the official press release.

The NCAA has updated their return-to-sport guidelines and announced their health and safety plans for Winter Championships.

Click here for the NCAA Championships Safety Overview.

The Division I Council has altered eligibility requirements for 2020/21 winter sports athletes. Each athlete will now receive an additional season of competition and an additional year in which to complete their seasons, in keeping with changes made for Spring and Fall sports following the impacts of COVID-19.

Updates have been made to the Actions Related to Division I Regulations and Policies Impacted by COVID-19 document. Click here to review the Actions document.

Updates have been made to the Division I COVID-19 Question and Answers Guide, including details of the effects of cancelling the Winter NCAA Championships. Click here to review all the questions and answers.

The initial-eligibility requirements for Division I and II members have been updated to increase flexibility for high school athletes in meeting their academic requirements whilst disrupted by COVID-19. Click here for the details.

The Division II Management Council have granted winter athletes a further season of competition as part of their COVID-19 relief.

Division II have developed replacement policies for their winter championships, covering, for example, withdrawal scenarios relating to COVID-19.

Click here for the Division II COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide.

The Division II Administrative Committee have altered numerous regulations and policies which have been influenced by COVID-19, including reduced bracket and field sizes for 2021 Winter and Spring Championships. Click here for the details of any amendments.

Click here for the Division III COVID-19 Question and Answer Guide, including updates regarding the status of any virtual interactions with student athletes.

Click here for a list of actions taken by the Division III Administrative Committee, since 13 March, due to the impact of COVID-19.

The NCAA have developed a COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group which brings together all three divisions to provide expert advice regarding competitions and other medical points.

The 2021 NHL season began on 13 January and includes a 56-game regular season. Games will be held within realigned divisions only, which will include a division of the seven Canadian teams so that border closures do not impact upon fixtures.

37 games have so far been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols, including most recently the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks. Click here for a list of rescheduled games.

The NHL announced its 2020 Return to Play plan on 26 May, having suspended its season on 12 March. The plan involved 24 teams competing for the Stanley Cup in two “hub cities”: Edmonton and Toronto; with competitions having begun on 1 August. Click here for the details and click here for the results of the Stanley Cup Final which was won by the Lightning.

The NHL Free Agency period began on 9 October – having been pushed back from 1 July due to COVID-19.

Due to COVID-19, the 2021 NHL Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend did not take place.

The UFC introduced a safety protocol for the resumption of bouts – which the UFC has noted will be updated regularly. Click here to view the protocols and here for an article on the same.

The racing season began in Austria on 3 July, with the first two events in Austria.

Various races were cancelled (including those in Brazil, USA, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Singapore and Azerbaijan) or rescheduled. Click here for the updated 2020 F1 schedule.

Formula 1 added a number of new events to the 2020 calendar, creating a 17-race season which will end in Abu Dhabi in on 13 December.

In June, the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved changes to the 2020 Formula 1 regulations, which have been brought about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include adjustments to the podium ceremony and the ability for stewards to work remotely if necessary.

Ahead of the Sakhir Grand Prix in December, World Champion Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to miss the event. Click here for details.

In January, Formula 1 revealed a revised calendar for the 2021 season, with the Australian Grand Prix moving to later in the year, and the Chinese Grand Prix being postponed until a later date. Click here for details.

Formula E resumed racing on 5 August in Berlin, with six races in nine days across three circuit layouts to decide who will win the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship. The event took place behind closed doors, with mandatory coronavirus testing prior to racing.

Click here for a statement on the sport’s return.

The 2020/21 World Championship will begin in February, in Saudi Arabia. Click here for details.

MotoGP resumed on 19 July at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto.

Click here for the updated racing schedule.

MotoGP have developed a COVID-19 protocol for their return to racing. Click here to review the key points of the protocol.

Ahead of the Aragon Grand Prix, nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi has tested positive for COVID-19. Click here for details. He has since tested negative and will return for the European Grand Prix.

In January, MotoGP cancelled its first official testing events, due to COVID-19. Click here for a statement. A shortened pre-season will now take place in Qatar, over just two days, prior to the first Grand Prix of 2021. Click here for details.

The 2021 MotoGP provisional calendar has been released, with an additional event to be held in Qatar, while the Argentina GP and Americas GP have been postponed. Click here for details.

On 29 July, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and BSI Speedway announced multiple changes to both the 2020 FIM Speedway Grand Prix and 2020 Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations calendars, due to COVID-19.

The revised 2020 FIM Speedway Grand Prix calendar consisted of eight rounds across four weekends, beginning on August 28. Click here for a statement. The final, which was originally due to be held in Manchester, was instead staged at Polish venue Lublin on October 16 and 17, due to COVID-19 restrictions in the UK. Click here for details and click here for a guide to the 2020 final’s updated rules.

There were also a number of regulatory changes, with no qualifying sessions to take place in 2020 and gate positions thus being decided by random draw. Scoring systems and wild card riders were also affected by changes, and all the events took place under COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Click here for further details.

The provisional 2021 FIM Speedway Grand Prix and Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations calendars have been released. Click here for details.

On 21 July 2020, the British speedway season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the end of August, the UK Government approved a ‘test event’ with spectators for British Speedway. As a result, fan attendance had been planned for the 2020 British Speedway Final, scheduled to take place on 26 September. However, due to the UK Government’s announcement of 22 September, the event went ahead without spectators, and also moved venue. Click here for a statement.

British Speedway says that plans for the 2021 season involve each of the sport’s professional clubs, with the aim of starting the season around Easter. Click here for a statement.

Click here for British Speedway’s statement on its not being including in the UK Government’s Sports Winter Survival Package.

British Speedway had announced that the 2021 season is to start in early May. However, following the UK Government’s February announcement about the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, British Speedway have confirmed that the 2021 season will resume from 17 May, with fans to be in attendance. Click here for a statement.

The World Rallycross Championship began its 2020 season in late August, with a revised nine-round calendar due to Covid-19. The first event was held in Sweden, on 20 – 23 August.

The final event of the season, which was due to take place in Germany on 12 – 13 December has been cancelled due to COVID-19. Click here for details.

The provisional 2021 World RX calendar has been approved by the FIA. The 10 rounds of the 2021 season will be held between late May and late November, and includes eight events in Europe, one in the Middle East and one in Sub Saharan Africa. Click here for details.

Click here for an update on the return of netball worldwide.

The INF has published an interim policy for umpire appointments to help with flexibility as travel restrictions impact international matches. Click here to download.

Click here to view the INF COVID-19 hub which includes information about international events, the results of a global survey on the impact of COVID-19 on netball and information for officials.

The ANZPremiership resumed on 19 June 2020 in accordance with New Zealand health guidelines.

The Telkom Netball League returned on 14 October 2020 and concluded on 27 October without spectators. The league was played in a bubble, in accordance with COVID-19 protocols.

Click here for Netball Australia’s Chair, Paolina Hunt's 2020 conclusion message.

The 2021 Suncorp Super Netball season is set to commence on 1 May.

The World Rowing Regatta Season has had many events cancelled or postponed, including three 2020 World Rowing Cup regattas and the Olympic and Paralympic qualification regattas scheduled for 2020. Click here for details.

The 2020 European Rowing Championship went ahead successfully on 9-11 October. Click here for the Interim Report on the COVID-19 situation at the event.

The Americas Continental Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta was postponed, due to COVID-19. It has now been rescheduled for 4-6 March 2021. Click here for details.

World Rowing has announced its revised 2021 regatta season. The schedule can be viewed here.

Subsequently, World Rowing has postponed the Final Paralympic Qualification Regatta. Click here for a statement.

FISA has published advice regarding returning to training, which is dependent on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in an athlete’s local area. Click here to review the documents.

Click here for updates to the World Rowing and European Rowing calendars.

Click here for updates to Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Qualification events.

On 15 March, the IRL made a statement about COVID-19 which announcedthat no decisions had yet been made about the IRL’s international competitions.Click here for the statement.

No update has since been given.

The NRL Telstra Premiership returned on 28 May. The NRL has issued new ‘biosecurity’ protocols to manage the return to play. Click here for the NRL statement on return to play.

From 2 July clubs were able to return to their standard home venues for the remainder of the NRL Telstra Premiership. Crowds were allowed at these games in New South Wales, provided they are no larger than 10,000 people or 25% of the stadium capacity. Click here for an article regarding the changes, and click here for the NRL statement on the return of crowds.

The NRL has announced its schedule for the 2021 season. Click here for details.

In light of COVID-19, the NRL have also reached a revised collective bargaining agreement with the Rugby League Players’ Association, which sees the salary cap fall by 6% for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Click here for details.

The Super League returned to play on 2 August, behind closed doors. The revised season comprised a further 15 rounds of action and were to be followed by a Top Four semi-final play-off. The winners of the semi-finals were to contest the Betfred Super League Grand Final in November 2020. Click here for a statement.

Super League announced that league table positions would be determined on a points percentage basis, due to the probability that some teams will not complete all of their fixtures due to COVID-19. Adjustments were also made to the Super League Salary Cap Regulations. Click here for a statement.

Promotion/relegation was suspended for the 2020 season. Click here for a statement.

The regular season was cut short due to COVID-19, and a further revised play-off format was introduced, prior to the Grand Final on 27 November. Click here for details.

Super League is operating a COVID-19 testing programme. Click here for an update.Positive tests in the league have seen several matches postponed and cancelled.

A number of players were sanctioned for breaching the Rugby Football League’s COVID-19 protocols. Click here for a statement.

The 2021 Super League season is scheduled to start on 26 March, later than originally planned, given the recent, further disruption caused by COVID-19. Click here for a statement.

Super League has announced a number of regulatory changes for the 2021 season in response to COVID-19, including in relation to qualification for the play-offs, fixture postponement and player transfers between clubs. Crucially, the league will operate on a Win Points Percentage basis. Click here for details.

The 2021 Super League fixtures can be found here.

The 2019/20 EPCR competitions, which had reached the quarter-final stage, were postponed in March.

On 25 June, EPCR announced that the quarter-finals of both its tournaments would be played on the weekend of 18/19/20 September with the semi-finals scheduled for the weekend of 25/26/27 September. The Challenge Cup final was played on 16 October followed by the Heineken Champions Cup final on 17 October. Click here for the EPCR statement.

It was also decided that the 2020 finals would not be held in Marseille (as planned). and The Heineken Champions Cup final was played at Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium, while the Challenge Cup final was held in Aix-en-Provence. Marseille will host the finals in 2021. Click here for a statement.

The Challenge Cup quarter-final between Leicester and Castres was cancelled by EPCR after a number of Castres’ players tested positive for COVID-19. Castres had to forfeit the game, so Leicester qualified for the semi-finals automatically. Click here for a statement.

Ahead of the competitions’ return, EPCR made temporary changes to its regulations on player registration. There is now no limit on the number of players a club can register, and players who have moved clubs will not be ‘cup-tied’. Click here for further details.

EPCR has announced a new format for the 2020/21 season, to accommodate for the disruption caused to the ordinary qualification process. Click here for details.

The 2020/21 season began in December, but several fixtures were cancelled due to COVID-19. In each case, a Match Result Resolution Committee was convened to determine the outcomes, with the team compromised by COVID-19 typically forfeiting the result and their opponent being awarded a 28-0 win. Click here for details.

In January 2021, EPCR temporarily suspended its competitions, following a directive from French authorities. Click here for a statement.

Following the EPCR suspension, the tournament has again been restructured, with the competitions going directly into a Round of 16 knock-out phase. Click here for details.

The 2019/20 Premiership season resumed on the weekend of 14 – 16 August. Click here for a statement on return to play.

A number of Premiership fixtures have been used as UK Government pilot events for fans to attend, but these plans have now been cancelled due to tighter COVID-19 restrictions in the UK. Click here for a Premiership Rugby statement on the impact of the latest UK Government restrictions.

The final round of the 2019/20 Premiership season, prior to the semi-finals, was thrown into jeopardy following news of positive tests at Sale Sharks. This resulted in one match being postponed and another cancelled.

The Premiership final on Saturday 24 October went ahead as planned, after Wasps had a number of positive COVID-19 tests. They were subsequently cleared to play. Click here for a statement.

Click here for an updated fixture list and click here for a statement on the fixtures for the 2020/21 Premiership Rugby season, which started on 20 November.

Ahead of the start of the 2020/21 Premiership Rugby season, Leicester Tigers suspended all training after a COVID-19 outbreak within its squad. Click here for details.

A number of matches have been cancelled during the 2020/21 Premiership Rugby season, due to COVID-19. Premiership Rugby adopted new regulations at the start of the season to provide for such situations, with a decision being made by a panel on who the match points should be awarded to. Click here for the panel decisions.

Click here for the latest Premiership Rugby statement on its Covid-19 testing programme.

The RFU Council voted on 12 February to suspend relegation from the Premiership for the 2020/21 season. Next season, assuming that the Championship winner meets the Minimum Standards Criteria for promotion, the Premiership will contain 13 teams. Click here for details.

The Pro14 was suspended on 19 March.

The Pro14 returned on 22 August, with matches played only between teams from the same nation. These matches will be followed by semi-final and a final, with the latter set to be played on 12 September. The South African teams will not be involved in the initial weekends of matches, due to ongoing restrictions in the country.

Click here for details of the confirmed fixtures.

The competition’s South African teams will likely not be involved in matches for the remainder of 2020, due to ongoing restrictions in the country. The Southern Kings have voluntarily withdrawn from 2020 competitions. Click here for a statement.

The 2020/21 PRO14 season began on 2 October, without the South African sides. The Round 4 fixture between Connacht and Benetton was postponed after positive COVID-19 tests among the Benetton squad. The Italian side’s match against Munster the following week was also postponed. The (Newport) Dragons have also been affected by COVID-19 outbreaks, with their fixtures against Edinburgh and Glasgow being postponed.

Some of these postponed matches were rescheduled for December, but further fixtures have since been postponed due to COVID-19. Click here for details.

After EPCR announced the suspension of its competitions in January, the Pro14 took advantage of the free weekends to re-schedule previously postponed fixtures. Click here for a statement.

Following the UK Government statement of 22 September – that fans may not be able to return to sports events until April 2021 – the RFU has released a statement which explains that, without crowds and league games, community rugby will lose an estimated £86 million in revenue this season, and that such losses may result in clubs, players and volunteers “disappearing forever”.

The RFU has also announced that, outside of the Premiership, Championship and Premier 15s, competitive rugby will not return until January 2021 at the earliest. Click here for a statement.

In light of the second national lockdown, all community rugby has returned to ‘Stage A’ of the RFU’s return to play roadmap. Click here for details.

The England vs Barbarians match, scheduled for Sunday 25 October, has been cancelled after a number of Barbarians players broke COVID-19 protocols. Click here for a statement. The players involved have since been charged for disciplinary offences.

Following the UK Government’s announcement about the end of the national lockdown, the RFU have announced that 2,000 fans will be admitted to England’s final match of the Autumn Nations Cup at Twickenham. Click here for details.

The final round of Six Nations matches plus Ireland v. Italy were all postponed in March. This game was played on 24 October, with the remaining fixtures being played on 31 October. Click here for an updated schedule.

Six Nations Rugby has also announced a new tournament to take place between 13 November and 6 December, called the Autumn Nations Cup 2020. It will be contested between the Six Nations teams, plus Fiji and Georgia, and will be broadcast by Amazon Prime and Channel 4. Click here for a statement.

Thus far, all of Fiji’s matches in the Autumn Nations Cup, against France, Italy and Scotland, have been cancelled due to members of the Fijian team testing positive for COVID-19. Each of the teams they were due to play have been awarded a 28-0 win.

Click here for a statement on calendar alignment.

The 2021 Six Nations is underway, behind closed doors, and under strict COVID-19 protocols.

France’s home match against Scotland has been postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the French squad. Click here for details.

All July international tests have been postponed. No indication has yet been given of whether they will be re-scheduled.

However, World Rugby has proposed a temporary 2020 international calendar to run between 24 October and 5 December, allowing the postponed Six Nations matches to be played, as well as other international fixtures involving the Six Nations teams to be staged. The Rugby Championship is proposed to take place between 7 November and 12 December and will take place in Australia. Click here for a statement.

The remaining 2020 World Rugby Sevens Series events have been cancelled and the Series concluded early, with New Zealand awarded both the men’s and women’s titles. Click here for a press release.

It has been announced that the Hamilton and Sydney Sevens events will not take place in 2021, but that the Sevens Series is aiming for a return in Hong Kong and Singapore in April 2021. World Rugby has also announced a funding increase to optimise Sevens teams’ Olympic preparations. Click here for the statement.

World Rugby has announced the dates for the re-scheduled Olympics Sevens competition in July 2021. Click here for the press release.

The final Sevens qualification event for Tokyo 2020 has now been scheduled to take place in Monaco in June 2021. Click here for details.

Click here for a statement from World Rugby on its Covid-19 response.

World Rugby has made available numerous optional and temporary law trials to help mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission by, for example, reducing the number of scrums. Click here for the full list of law trials.

World Rugby has also amended its regulation on international eligibility (World Rugby Regulation 8), to take account of the fact that fewer international fixtures have taken place this year. As such, players will be able to qualify through three years’ residency for a national team until the end of 2021. The rule will change to five years from 2022. Click here for the press release.

The draw for Rugby World Cup 2023 has been pushed back to 14 December, and the rankings as of 1 January 2020 will form the basis of the draw, owing to the disruption caused by COVID-19. Click here for details.

The women’s Rugby World Cup European qualifying event that was scheduled to take place in December has been postponed due to the challenges created across the continent by COVID-19. Click here for a statement.

In March 2021, it was announced that the women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 would be postponed by a year, due to the ongoing uncertainties of COVID-19. World Rugby has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering the tournament in New Zealand in 2022. Click here for a statement.

Click here for World Rugby’s return to play guidance.

Click here for a full list of postponed international rugby fixtures.

Professional snooker has recommenced.

The Betfred World Championship took place from July 31 to August 16 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, as professional snooker returned. Click here for a press release. A limited number of fans were able to attend the final. Click here for a statement.

The World Snooker Tour will hold nine tournaments between September and December. The World Women’s Snooker Tour remains suspended, and the Women’s Masters tournament, scheduled for November, has been postponed until 2021.

A provisional calendar for the second half of the 2020/21 World Snooker Tour has been released. Click here for details.

At the European Masters event in Milton Keynes, in September, two players tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in five players being withdrawn from the tournament. Click here for a statement.

The English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards had planned to resume its season in October, but this has since been postponed, following tighter COVID-19 restrictions. Click here for a statement.

The WPBSA has issued guidance on returning to professional training. Click here for the guidance.

World Disability Billiards and Snooker has announced that no further events will take place during the remainder of 2020, with the aim of resuming competition from January 2021. Click here for the statement.

Click here for the WPBSA statement on its not being included in the UK Government’s Sports Winter Survival Package.

Click here for the latest statement by the WPBSA on the sport’s professional return.

Click here for the latest statement by the WPBSA on the sport’s return in the UK.

Click here for the full calendar of events.

The FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), initially planned to take place in December 2020 in Abu Dhabi, has been rescheduled to 13 – 18 December 2021. Click here for a press release.

The FINA World Championships in Japan, initially planned to take place from 16 July – 1 August 2021, will now take place from 13 – 19 May 2022.

A series of recommendations regarding returning to training have been issued by FINA – this includes Back to Water Guidelines. The recommendations and guidelines can be accessed here.

On 21 July 2020, FINA announced a COVID-19 Support Plan of USD $6.4 million to financially support athletes who will compete in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

FINA has announced the calendar for the FINA Swimming World Cup 2021.

On 26 September 2020, FINA organised its first ever virtual swimming competition. Click here for details.

The 2020 Season of the International Swimming league hasconcluded. All matches took place at the Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary. Clickhere for details.

Click here to review the ISL COVID-19Prevention and Intervention Protocol.

All ITTF activities and events were suspended until the end of September and further events are being postponed or cancelled. Click here for the 2021 calendar.

World Table Tennis (the new commercial and events company of ITTF) will be holding its first ever events via three separate “Hubs” in the Middle East, China and Europe. Click here for details and here for the safety measures. China withdrew its team from the Doha tournament (3-13 March) stating that its table tennis players would not play outside of China until the Olympic Games.

Click here for the ITTF’s recommendations on return to play – published on 7 August. These are set to be replaced by Guidelines in the future.

Click here to view ITTF’s statement following the publication of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Playbook.

The Paralympic Games qualification system has been adjusted, with approval from the ITTF Executive Committee, given that there will be no Para Table Tennis until at least the second quarter of 2021. There will also be no Continental Para Table Tennis Championships in 2021. Click here to view the decisions.

The ATP suspended the ATP tour through to 31 July 2020.

The ATP have published a revised calendar for resuming the 2020 ATP Tour, with the first event held on 22 August in New York. Click here for the full, updated schedule.

The ATP event to be held in Moscow in October has subsequently been cancelled due to an increase in the COVID-19 infection rate in the city. Click here for a statement.

Click here for an ATP statement on adjustments to the FedEx ATP Rankings.

In March 2021, the ATP announced a player and tournament COVID-19 support package, which includes increased prize money for ATP 250 and ATP 500 events, and a new COVID-19 Protected Ranking Provision, to give players security. Click here for details.

Click here for the full list of cancelled ATP events.

All ITF tournaments were suspended through to 31 July 2020.

The ITF’s World Tour resumed in August, with the women’s and men’sevents beginning on 17 August. Click here for a press release and furtherdetails.

The World Tennis Tour is operating under new COVID-19 protocols,such as daily temperature screening and limitations on numbers of support personnel.Click here for details of the protocols.

The ITF has published guidelines on returning to play, with recommendationsincluding players walking around the opposite sides of the net at changeovers. Clickhere for the guidelines.

Click here to read the ITF’s ‘Return toTennis’ guidelines.

Click here for the full list of cancelledITF events.

Click here for the latest update on thereturn to recreational tennis worldwide.

Play has now resumed on the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors and theITF Seniors Tours. Click here for a statement.

The ITF has also announced plans for the resumption of play on theUNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour and the ITF Beach Tennis World Tour, though the detailsare yet to be confirmed. Click here for the press release.

On 4 August, the ITF explained how international rankings will becalculated when international tournaments return – the system aims to not disadvantageplayers who cannot travel to participate in tournaments. Click here for details.

All WTA events were suspended in March but the first event back, the Palermo Ladies Open, took place on 3-9 August in Italy.

In June, the WTA announced an updated provisional calendar for 2020, which includes 20 tournaments. Click here for the press release and updated calendar. The WTA Premier event in Moscow was subsequently cancelled, due to an increase in the COVID-19 infection rate in the city.

In January, the WTA announced its provisional 2021 calendar, up to July 2021. Click here for details.

Play was suspended at the WTA events in Melbourne Park, following positive tests for COVID-19 among hotel workers where players are staying in Australia, days before the start of the Australian Open. Click here for a statement.

In England, from 29 March, events will be permitted (subject to securing a license) and grassroots coaching/training can take place outdoors (in groups of up to six people).

Events with up to 200 people per day can take place in Level 0-3 areas in Scotland, but not in Level 4 areas (currently mainland Scotland is in Level 4). Click here for the full activity restrictions.

Welsh events and group coaching/activity are not currently taking place and competitions cannot take place.

British Triathlon has announced “The Big Reboot” to help restart triathlon. Click here for details..

Click here for British Triathlon’s COVID-19 updates. Click here for COVID-19 competition guidance.

Events are resuming. Click here for the updated Ironman calendar.

Click here to download Ironman’s Return to Racing Guidelines which includes health questionnaires for athletes, reduced raceday staff, decreased aid stations and enhanced hygiene. Click here for a summary of the key protocols for athletes.

Click here for Ironman’s COVID-19updates, including a list of postponed and cancelled events.

World Triathlon COVID-19 Prevention guidelines for Event Organizers (last updated October 2020) can be found here.

Click here for the events schedule. The World Triathlon Cup Huatulco has been postponed to from April to June 2021. The World Triathlon Championship Abu Dhabi 2021 has been postponed to 5-6 November 2021. The World Triathlon Series Montreal has been postponed from June to 13-15 August. Click here for further event news.

The World Triathlon Executive Board will not be restarting the Olympic and Paralympic qualification period before 1 May (events since the Olympic and Paralympic rankings were frozen last March have not counted towards these rankings). A final decision on this will take place on 18 March.

Click here for the FIVB’s Return to Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Guidelines.

The FIVB World Congress 2021 will be the first to be held virtually, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The FIVB has updated the 2020 – 2021 volleyball calendar and permitted the resumption of national leagues since 1 June 2020, if possible in accordance with local regulations.

The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour has returned with its first 4-star fixtures in 12 months, in Doha, Qatar. This was the last competition to be held prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated competition suspensions.

The Volleyball Nations League 2020 was cancelled on 8 May 2020. A secure bubble concept has now been approved for the 2021 season.

Click here for the updated volleyball calendar and here for the updated beach volleyball calendar.

The schedule for volleyball events at the rearranged 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo has been confirmed.

CEV Champions League Volley 2021 began on 29 September, with both men’s and women’s competitions, after the 2020 edition of the tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The FIVB Beach Volleyball calendar has been updated, with events from March – May 2021, which were originally postponed, having now been cancelled. This now includes the cancellation of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Cancun, Mexico. Click here for a press release and to download the updated beach volleyball calendar.

The FIVB has updated the Olympic Beach Volleyball Qualification System to reflect changes to the timings of the Olympics and cancellation of multiple FIVB events. Changes include quota places for the 15 highest ranked teams on 14 June 2021 and for placement in a Beach Volleyball Continental Cup, which can now run until 27 June 2021. Qualification from the 2019 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships and FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualification Tournament remains. Click here to download the full details.

Click here for the FIVB’s Coronavirus Resources and Information page.

On 24 March, it was announced that the 2020 Olympic Games would be rescheduled for Summer 2021. Click here for the announcement.

It is currently planned for the summer Olympic Games to be hosted between 23 July – 8 August 2021. Click here for the official statement.

Click here for the revised Olympic Qualification Principles and click here for the adapted Tokyo 2020 Qualification Systems for each sport.

On 25 September, the IOC Coordination Commission and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee agreed on a series of measures to make the 2020 Olympic Games fit for a post-COVID-19 world, including measures to reduce the number of stakeholder personnel attending the games and streamlining transport services. Click here for details.

On 3 February, the IOC and the IPC released their first “Playbook” outlining the principles required to be in place for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be delivered safely, in light of COVID-19. This is the first in a series of “Playbooks” and is aimed at International Federations and Technical Officials. Click here for details.

On 24 March, it was announced that the 2020 Paralympic Games would be rescheduled for Summer 2021. Click here for the IPC statement.

It is currently planned for the summer Paralympic Games to be hosted between 24 August – 5 September 2021. Click here for the official statement.

Click here for the revised Paralympic Qualification Criteria.

Click here for a press release following IPC Board discussions regarding the impact of COVID-19.

Click here for the latest update on the COVID-19 counter-measures for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and click here for a statement on updated calendar of test events to be held in Tokyo, ahead of the Games.

On 3 February, the IOC and the IPC released their first “Playbook” outlining the principles required to be in place for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be delivered safely, in light of COVID-19. This is the first in a series of “Playbooks” and is aimed at International Federations and Technical Officials. Click here for details.

Click here for biweekly updates from the IPC regarding the impacts of COVID-19 on para-athletes and IPC members.