The Norwegian American Football Federation has moved its entire season to the fall with the schedule to start on August 15 due to the coronavirus.
Norway is the first country in Europe to take that step. The five-team Norwegian league was set to start on April 4. The decision by the federation encompasses all football-related activities including the lower divisions in Norway.
Statement from the Norwegian federation:
“Today, March 26, the American Football Division leadership decided to move all series that originally should have been played in the spring to the fall. The decision was made on the basis of new guidelines from the government, and on the basis of feedback from the clubs. We are now working out of the series start of August 15 for senior divisions and August 22 for the juniors, and all series are to be completed by November 1. We are working to offer 4-6 games per day. Our goal is to provide as much activity as possible within a safe environment for all our members. We also want to offer tournaments in June if this is possible to perform in a good and safe way.”
Current coronavirus situation in Norway
A total of 14 people have died in Norway and more than 3,300 people are now confirmed to have COVID-19. The government has announced an extension to the emergency measures until Easter. There are 266 people hospitalized around the country, a number that has risen significantly in recent days. Of those, 70 are currently in intensive care. All schools and universities will remain closed, most bars and restaurants will not be permitted to open unless they can guarantee social distancing.