PANAJI: The All India Football Federation ( AIFF ) said it’s increasingly difficult for football to be played again this season with cancellations of all leagues likely later this week.Like everything else, football activities have come to a standstill in India for almost a month now. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to announce on Tuesday that the 21-day national lockdown will be extended for two more weeks, faint hopes of football making a return this season are all but over.“It looks very difficult (for football) but let’s wait for the Prime Minister’s announcement and then the I-League committee can take a call,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told TOI on Monday.Last week, Das, along with top officials of 13 other national sports federations, had a conference call with sports secretary Radhey Shyam Julaniya where it was made clear that not even camps can be staged until June-July.The camps would normally have about 30-35 participants, so the message for football was loud and clear. Any competitive football match, even if played behind closed doors – like the Indian Super League (ISL) final – would need a minimum of 70-odd people, something unlikely to be allowed before May 31 when the season ends.“We were told these are tough times. Even if the restrictions are removed post April 30, there is no guarantee that sports activities would be allowed,” said Das.The AIFF wont blink an eye before cancelling the I-League. There are a minimum of four rounds to be played, but with Mohun Bagan already crowned champions and no continental spot on offer for the runnersup, there is little at stake.If the league is cancelled, the prize money would be split among the second and third placed teams, and the next three. No team would be relegated to the second division.Still at the group stage, the second division I-League is a little bit complicated. According to sources, the AIFF is expected to offer a solution of playing a qualifying tournament before next season’s I-League with teams who could have qualified for the final phase this season.Mohammedan Sporting, Garhwal FC, ARA FC and Bengaluru United could be handed the chance of playing the qualifiers somewhere in August with the top-placed team playing the I-League two months later.“At this stage, we cannot declare the second division as null and void. Teams have invested heavily and for them, the only reward is promotion to the I-League. We hope the clubs will come to an agreement,” said another AIFF official.This season has a record number of 17 teams participating in the second division, but nine of those are reserve teams of ISL and I-League, who cannot mov to a different tier.“Second division teams who will play the (I-League) ‘qualifiers’ will be allowed to register new players, just like what happens in the AFC Cup. The players could be different after completing the formalities (during the transfer window from June to August) but the participating teams remain the same,” said the official.The youth leagues – sub junior (under-13), junior (under-15) and elite (under-18) – are also incomplete. The playoffs and final round is yet to be played. Those leagues could be least of AIFF’s worries. In fact, with so much fear over the coronavirus pandemic, parents are unlikely to allow their children to travel and play.The I-League committee will meet later this week to take a final decision.