Matches that kick-off at 3pm could be shown on TV if they are played behind closed doors

The FA is likely to waive the Saturday 3pm blackout to allow matches kicking off at that time to be screened or streamed live if coronavirus forces sporting events to be played behind closed doors.

The plan has already been discussed at by the football authorities but it is likely that steps will be taken to prevent those matches being shown in pubs.

A source involved in the talks told The Times: “It makes sense to remove the blackout but what we don’t want to do is create a new problem by just moving those crowds from the stadiums to the pubs.”

All matches involving the EFL clubs could be made available via the League’s iFollow service, which is usually blocked on Saturdays. Sky