FA confirms month-long suspension of non-elite football
FOOTBALL
NON-LEAGUE football at Step Three and below has been suspended for a month following the implementation of a new lockdown.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that England would go into a second shutdown on Thursday – subject to passing a vote on Wednesday – in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Under the regulations, elite level sport can continue, while non-elite sport would be paused until 2nd December.
Anything below National League North and South, for example the Southern Premier Central in which Stratford Town compete, is classed as non-elite and will not be allowed to continue.
The FA has confirmed in a statement today, Tuesday, that non-elite football will be suspended should the vote on a second lockdown pass, adding: "Our aim is to ensure that the 2020-21 season is completed at these levels and will liaise with the relevant leagues in the National League System and Women's Football Pyramid and the County FAs to provide support and establish appropriate options to do so if required.
"Re-starting football at these levels has taken substantial determination and commitment from stakeholders across the game and we would like to thank everyone for their vital contributions.
"However, health and wellbeing remain the priority, so it is extremely important that clubs, players, coaches, match officials, league officials, volunteers, parents, carers and facility providers adhere to the UK Government’s new national COVID-19 restrictions during this period.
"We remain in dialogue with the DCMS, leagues, competitions and CFAs and will provide further clarification for ‘non-elite’ football in England following the debate in the House of Commons tomorrow."
The full list of what will be suspended for a month:
• All fixtures and training for Steps 3-6 of the National League System [NLS];
• All fixtures and training for Tiers 3-7 of the Women’s Football Pyramid [WFP];
• All fixtures and training for the Regional NLS Feeder Leagues;
• All fixtures and training for The Barclays FA WSL Academy League;
• All fixtures and training for FA Girls Regional Talent Clubs;
• All fixtures and training for indoor and outdoor youth and adult grassroots football.
