Football to return to Hungary in late May amid COVID-19

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Hungarian football competitions will resume in late May after being suspended since March 14 to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The country's football association, MLSZ, said on its website that the men's top-tier national championship in Hungary, the NB I, will restart with the 26th round on May 30.

MLSZ said the NB I has been planned to be completed by the end of June.

In addition to the premier league, the first matches in the Hungarian Cup semifinals will be played on May 23.

The Hungarian football body added that teams will be tested for COVID-19 twice a week or before each match.

Hungary has 3,035 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with the death toll at 351.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 187 countries and regions, with the US and Europe the hardest-hit areas.

More than 3.5 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll surpassing 250,000 and more than 1.1 million recoveries, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.