Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday gave the Bundesliga the go-ahead to resume from mid-May behind closed doors, on condition that strict hygiene measures are maintained to prevent contagion of the novel coronavirus.
Following the green light, the German Football League (DFL) must now set a date to resume with the weekends of May 16-17 or 23-24 as possible options -- becoming the first of Europe's top five leagues to return to the field.
All matches would have to be played without fans, sources familiar with the talks told Reuters, adding that the German football league (DFL) will decide on the exact dates for the resumption of the Bundesliga and the second-tier 2. Bundesliga.
The league has been on hold since mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Officials from the 16 states held a teleconference with Merkel on Wednesday to discuss easing the country's lockdown measures.
"Today's decision is good news for the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga 2," Christian Seifert, chief executive of the DFL was quoted as saying by BBC.
"It is associated with a great responsibility for the clubs and their employees to implement the medical and organisational requirements in a disciplined manner.
"Games without spectators are not an ideal solution for anyone. In a crisis threatening the very existence of some clubs, however, it is the only way to keep the leagues in their current form."
The DFL is due to hold an assembly with its 36 member clubs on Thursday followed by a news conference.
The Bundesliga will be the first of Europe's top five domestic leagues to restart following the outbreak, which has brought football to a standstill around the world.
Its progress is likely to be closely watched by other leagues.
Germany's professional teams have been training since mid-April, divided into small groups and under strict conditions, including extensive testing of all players and coaching staff.
On Monday, the DFL said it had registered 10 positive cases in a blanket test of 1,724 players and staff at its 36 first and second division clubs.
The season was suspended in mid-March. The league has long urged restarting play, which it says is vital for a sector that employs 56,000 people in Germany.
Teams returned to training on April 6 although sessions have followed stringent social distancing rules and players are not allowed to change at training grounds.
The league says its intensive testing plan allows matches to be relaunched with low risk to health.
So far, clubs in the top two divisions have returned 10 positive results for coronavirus from 1,724 tests since training resumed.
Three of the cases are known to be from the Cologne club and two from Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Health Minister Jens Spahn has argued that the testing regime "makes sense and can serve as an example for other forms of professional sport," although he warned "it has to be lived up to".
Bayern Munich, seeking their eighth consecutive title, were four points clear at the top of the table when play was halted.
Leagues across Europe are taking different approaches to the unprecedented crisis.
The French league announced last week it will not resume the Ligue 1 or Ligue 2 seasons, with Paris Saint-Germain being awarded the top-flight title.
The Netherlands abandoned its season a week earlier.
The Premier League, Europe's richest league, has said it aims to restart in June, but deep differences have emerged over plans to use neutral stadiums.
Players in Italy's Serie A returned to training this week and in Spain, Barcelona say players will undergo coronavirus tests on Wednesday as La Liga clubs begin restricted training ahead of a proposed resumption of the season next month.
The Serbian and Turkish leagues have also announced plans for matches to resume.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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