The AFL season will be shut down with league chief Gillon McLachlan confirming an indefinite hiatus due to the coronavirus crisis.

The league will pause until May 31, 2020, but it’s understood this is a target for a return rather than a confirmed date.

The AFL will review the situation by the end of April to determine whether the date needs to be changed.

The league is facing “the biggest financial crisis in our history”, McLachlan said.

Round 18

KEY POINTS

- AFL suspended until at least May 31

- May 31 resumption date will be revised and may be extended

- Sunday night’s West Coast vs Melbourne will be the final game

- All club training immediately suspended

- AFLW season cancelled, no premiership awarded

- Drastic measures needed to cut costs will be detailed in next 48 hours

- ‘Biggest financial crisis in the history of the game’

McLachlan has warned of the dire financial situation the AFL could now face. (AAP Image/James Ross) Source: AAP

“To say this is the most serious crisis to hit our league in 100 years is an understatement,” he said.

“As a community and as a code, we all need to take the unprecedented and required actions to get through this together.”

The AFL Women’s season will also be shut down and no premiership given out, because of the twin-conference system and that the preliminary finals were yet to be played.

The news comes after Victoria and New South Wales announced they’ll be shutting down over the next 48 hours. These decisions forced the AFL’s hand.

Statement on Victoria's response to Coronavirus: pic.twitter.com/YF4yFsE4Si — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) March 22, 2020

“I never thought it would come to this, unimaginable two weeks ago,” McLachlan said.

“This is just unprecedented for all business, for all Australians. A lot of people are making tough decisions.”

All AFL club training will be suspended.

On Sunday morning Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised Australians to cancel all non-essential domestic travel.

More pressingly, South Australian premier Steven Marshall announced his state would be closing its borders from Tuesday, imposing a compulsory 14-day self-isolation period on anyone entering after that date.

The league held a teleconference with club chief executives this afternoon.

Three AFL matches were scheduled for Sunday, with the Kangaroos beating the Saints at Marvel Stadium.

Hawthorn and Brisbane are facing off at the MCG, with West Coast and Melbourne rounding out Round 1. The Eagles v Demons game will go ahead.

At his press conference earlier today, it appeared like the Prime Minister seemed to say NRL and AFL teams would no longer be able to travel between states.

"Prime Minister where does sport come down on the essential to non-essential scale? Will teams be able to travel interstate for games that are still going on or is this the end for 2020 sport?" a reporter asked.

"I would say not," Mr Morrison said.

The reporter then clarified they were asking about those major sports.

"You are talking about the AFL and NRL," the Prime Minister realised.

"I thought you were talking about children's sport, and people travelling to competitions … things like that.

"In terms of the NRL and AFL, and those types of arrangements, well, I think the principle is important. I am sure we can work with both of those agencies … if there are new arrangements that need to be put in place to protect the health and safety of everyone.

"It may be possible. I will not pre-empt those outcomes, but I am sure that we can work on those issues through a practical, case-by-case basis."