Bundesliga: DFL starts league-wide COVID-19 testing in advance of restart

According to a new report from Kicker, the German Football League (DFL) is set to implement league wide mandatory testing for COVID-19. Not only will the 1. Bundesliga be tested but the 2. Bundesliga as well. No word has been mentioned about the leagues below them. Tests will start immediately, today.

In the report, they mention that while there are presumed concerns about a possible waste of tests done on the Bundesliga and taking away from German citizens, the DFL reports that would not be the issue and that the testing of players would make a marginal dent into the total testing capacity. Kicker writes:

The tests are one of the main points of criticism. However, the DFL points out that all laboratories had given written assurances that the current capacities were sufficient and that Covid-19 testing of Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga players would not result in any restrictions or limitations on testing capacities. “According to the management report of the Robert Koch Institute dated 22 April, the volume of test capacities currently stands at 818,000 per week, based on weekly working days. Professional soccer would not even occupy 0.4 percent of this. It can also be assumed that the laboratory capacities available in Germany will increase even further,” says the DFL.

This is important due to the reason that this is the first clear-cut sign of action we have seen by any major league to restart and attempt to finish the 2019/2020 season. We have already seen the Belgian First Division A and Ligue 1 and 2 in France already be cancelled (both of whom awarding the league trophy to the first-place teams, Club Brugge KV and Paris-Saint-Germain, respectively). While the decision for the Bundesliga lies entirely within the German federal government and Chancellor Angela Merkel, the fact that the DFL is actively enacting steps is a encouraging sign towards seeing FC Bayern and the rest of the Bundesliga resume and complete their season. It also puts the Bundesliga is a much better situation should UEFA determine to resume the Champions League.

We’ll keep you posted on further developments as the DFL and the German government are set to discuss next week about a decision regarding the fate of the 2019/2020 Bundesliga.