Turkish football leagues may start in June at earliest
Galatasaray's Mariano in action with Besiktaş's Georges-Kevin Nkoudou during a Süper Lig Match in Istanbul, March 15, 2020. (Reuters Photo)


Turkish football leagues could restart in June at the earliest, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) said Friday.

In a statement, the federation said the timeline was set taking into consideration the club's required training period, while plans for alternative scenarios were also in place.

The aim is to complete the 2019/2020 football season while "prioritizing human life first," the statement said.

"In a joint letter shared with all stakeholders, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, European Club Association Chairman Andrea Agnelli and European Leagues President Lars-Christer Olsson stressed the importance of completing the season no matter how long the delay."

The statement added that the TFF board will evaluate the situation in the first week of May in line with government decisions, recommendations of the Coronavirus Science Committee and in coordination with the Youth and Sports Ministry.

"According to the developments, 10 alternative scenarios, plans and programs are ready as per the conditions mentioned above," the federation said.

On March 19, Turkey suspended all competitions for four major sports – football, basketball, handball and volleyball – due to the growing COVID-19 outbreak.