Eight Ways Football Will Change After The Coronavirus Pandemic

Football will return with new rules and restrictions in place following it's suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Premier League has been mooted for a June return date - with chiefs desperate to get the action up and running again for the first time since March.

But The Sun have listed the changes that will need to be implicated on and off the pitch in a post-COVID/19 world.

Image: PA

A bizarre change could be a sex ban if partners show any symptoms of the virus.

Germany's Bundesliga has this rule in place ahead of a potential May 9 return and the Premier League may adopt similar methods.

One huge alteration will be in the number of substitutions per game, increasing from three to five.

Teams couldn't use five different players but it's an attempt to reduce the risk of burn-out with a congested fixture list.

On-pitch equipment will also be sterilised, as the virus can live for up to 72 hours on certain surfaces.

"Anything that can be cleaned will be cleaned. We will not be leaving anything to chance," a backroom staff member told Sky Sports.

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A change that many fans will welcome is harsher restrictions on spitting.

Spitting is frowned upon as one of the more disgusting acts in the game and a FIFA boss has explained players should be punished on the pitch.

"This is a common practice in football and it is not very hygienic," Medical Committee chairman Michel D'Hooghe told the Telegraph.

"So when we start football again I think we should have to avoid that at maximum. The question is whether that will be possible. Perhaps they can give a yellow card.

"It is unhygienic and a good way to spread the virus. This is one of the reasons why we have to be very careful before we start again. I am not pessimistic but I am rather sceptical at the moment."

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Players will also be urged to not touch one another when in the penalty box, with it being a scaled down version of social distancing.

Age restrictions on those allowed in the grounds will be in place, with 72-year-old Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson potentially missing all the action.

Furthermore, isolating training and six-week lockdowns could be preventative measures to stop players catching the virus.

What do you think of the potential rules and do you think they will impact the Premier League's return?

Let us know in the comments.

Topics: Football News, Football, Premier League, Coronavirus, Bundesliga

Daniel Marland

Daniel is a journalist for SPORTbible and he has previous experience with Manchester United. He has spoken to some of the biggest names in sport including Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch, WWE COO Triple H and WWE legend The Undertaker. May or may not do a decent impression of Jamie Carragher.

@DanMarland_