Mexico cancels football season because of COVID-19

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - The remainder of the season of Mexican top-tier football division was canceled Friday in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Liga MX said the league agreed to conclude the 2020 Clausura season for health reasons and no club will be declared winner.

The top two teams, Cruz Azul and Leon, are eligible to join the CONCACAF Champions League next season.

The announcement came after Santos Laguna confirmed late Wednesday that eight players tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The club refrained from disclosing the identities of infected players who are currently asymptomatic.

Liga MX was suspended March 15 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mexico confirmed its first case Feb. 28 and the first death was reported March 19.

Health authorities said Thursday that 424 additional deaths in the past 24 hours brought the total in Mexico to 6,090 since the beginning of the outbreak.

A total of 56,594 people have contracted the virus.