The Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and representatives of the game’s players and managers have all collectively agreed the season cannot resume until it is completely “safe and appropriate” to do so, with all games still suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, which shows little sign of abating any time soon.

At a meeting between senior representatives of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Premier League, EFL and League Managers Association (LMA) on Wednesday, the obstacles facing the game as a result of recent postponements due to the virus were discussed at length, with talks between the bodies continuing through the remainder of the week.

Following Wednesday’s meeting, a joint statement was released explaining that no football will be played until is is once again safe for that to happen and which other important problems are being discussed.

It read: “Senior representatives from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), the Premier League, the EFL and the League Managers Association (LMA) met today and shared a constructive meeting regarding the challenges facing the game as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The meeting reiterated that the overriding priority is the health and wellbeing of the nation - including that of players, coaches, managers, club staff and supporters – and everyone agreed football must only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

“No decisions were taken today, with discussions set to continue in the next 48 hours with a focus on several high-profile matters, including player wages and the resumption of the 2019/20 season.”

All games in the Premier League are still suspended until at least April 30, but that date is likely to be extended further, with the peak of the coronavirus problem predicted to be reached in the UK sometime in either May or June.

Such an extension will have far reaching consequences, particularly for players’ wages and contracts and a collective agreement on wage deferrals is being sought.

The financial impact of the pandemic on football is already being seen throughout the country with Bournemouth announcing on Wednesday that manager Eddie Howe has become the first Premier League boss to take a voluntary pay cut.

Elsewhere, Newcastle, Norwich, Bournemouth and Tottenham and a high number of EFL clubs have announced that many non-playing staff have been furloughed in order to take up the benefits of the government financial scheme to preserve jobs.

Meanwhile, UEFA has suspended Euro 2020 playoff matches indefinitely, as well as the remaining games in both the Champions League and the Europa League, with the focus on completing domestic leagues seen as the priority.

It is understood the national associations were presented with a variety of options for the resumption of domestic league action by a fixtures working group during a video call which also took place on Wednesday, but again no decision was made because it remains very difficult to predict how long the disruption will last.

Elsewhere, the Danish Football Association has reported that the Women’s European Championships, scheduled for England next year, will be pushed back to 2022 to accommodate for a delayed schedule next season and Euro 2020 now taking place next year.