SYDNEY: Australian’s A-League has suspended its season indefinitely, bringing an end to all professional football competitions in Australia and New Zealand until the coronavirus pandemic passes.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) chief executive James Johnson announced the decision on Tuesday, saying the latest measures imposed by the federal government made it impossible for the A-League to continue. The league had only a few regular-season rounds remaining before the playoffs.

“The decision which was taken last night, announced this morning, was a result of the increased state and national requirements now, in particular the border controls that the states have implemented and also New Zealand,” Johnson told a media conference on Tuesday.

Six rounds of regular season matches needed to be completed before the playoffs that were originally set to start in May, but the A-League is now frozen with no timetable for resumption, barring a “status assessment” set for April 22, when administrators will review the virus situation.

Needing broadcast revenues to prop up the competition, the FFA battled to keep the season alive, even securing agreement from the A-League’s one New Zealand team, the Wellington Phoenix, to base themselves in Australia to avoid quarantine restrictions in their home country.

But Australia’s national shutdown in recent days has finally forced the FFA’s hand.

“As a national competition, a competition that’s played in almost all parts of Australia and also played in New Zealand, mission complicated became mission impossible,” said Johnson.

Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Melbourne City at an empty stadium on Monday night was the last game completed.

Sydney FC led the standings with 48 points after 20 games, eight points ahead of Melbourne City, who have played 23 games. Wellington Phoenix were in third place with 36 points from 20 games.

Johnson remained optimistic the season could resume but said the postponement likely was “heartbreaking” for players, clubs and fans”.

All football in Australia from community to professional level has now been halted.

“We will feel this,” Johnson said. “We will feel the financial pressure on the game at all levels. The game will survive. Will we need to make changes, be different? I say yes.”

The decision allows the Wellington Phoenix players and coaching staff to return home before New Zealand goes into lock down.

Johnson said he had “no regrets” about the decision to bring the Phoenix club to Australia.

Australia has now suspended all major sports competitions, with Australian Rules football, the National Rugby League and Super Rugby calling off their seasons in recent days.

The Super Rugby competition, which involves clubs from five countries, suspended its season last week and attempts in Australia and New Zealand to create domestic competitions for their teams have been put on hold.

The country’s most popular spectator sport, Aussie Rules Football League suspended its season Sunday after only one round.

The National Rugby League followed suit on Monday after two rounds. In each case government restrictions on national and international travel, on public gatherings and non-essential activities made continuing untenable.

Rugby union, cricket, basketball and other sports had already shut down.

As with the other leagues, Australian football is now left in a perilous financial position, unable to generate revenues to support clubs in the 11-team A-League and guarantee player payments.

Most A-League clubs have run at a loss for years, and Johnson declined to guarantee that all would survive the crisis or that Sydney-based expansion side Macarthur FC would be able to join the competition for the next 2020/21 season.

International fixtures for the men’s and women’s national teams have also been disrupted by the virus, robbing the FFA of another revenue stream.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2020