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When will I see you again? Sport steps out of virus shadow
Sport’s big ticket events, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, European football championships, Wimbledon and the British Open golf tournament have all been cancelled this year because of the coronavirus.
However, as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic, sport is making a comeback with the English Premier League and Italy’s Serie A both revealing return dates on Thursday.
AFP Sport looks at what’s ahead:
Football
The English Premier League will restart on June 17, provided that all safety requirements are in place.
Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal will take place on that date, followed by a full match round beginning on June 19.
Due to the coronavirus all matches will take place behind closed doors.
Liverpool are just two wins away from a first league title in 30 years.
Italy’s Serie A can resume on June 20 after a three-month absence in a country hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said.
No top-flight matches have been played since Sassuolo beat Brescia 3-0 on March 9, before the championship was suspended by a pandemic which has killed over 33,000 people in Italy.
The German Bundesliga became the first major European league to resume on May 16 under strict conditions. Matches are behind closed doors with players elbow-bumping to celebrate goals. Some grounds have allowed cardboard cutouts of fans to fill up empty spaces. The league wanted to complete the last nine rounds of matches before June 30 to secure around 300 million euros ($325 million) in television money.
Spanish La Liga president Javier Tebas said he hopes the season will start again on June 11 with the Seville derby, “one game for all of Spain”.
“It is possible that on Thursday, June 11, we could have the first Liga game,” Tebas told Movistar Plus television.
“We would like it to be the Seville derby — Real Betis v Sevilla — at 2200 (2000 GMT).”
Last weekend, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that La Liga could resume from its lockdown in the week beginning June 8.
All matches will be behind closed doors. Barcelona sit top of the table, two points ahead of Real Madrid.
In France, the season has been declared over and Paris Saint-Germain were awarded the Ligue 1 title.
South Korea had the honour of being the first elite league back in action on May 8 but there were no crowds or wild goal celebrations — even talking was discouraged.
Cricket
There will be no domestic cricket in England until August 1 at the earliest.
As far as international cricket is concerned, the English authorities remain confident the Test series with the West Indies, with matches provisionally scheduled to start on July 8, 16 and 24 at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl and Lancashire’s Old Trafford, will go ahead, behind closed doors at these “bio-secure” venues.
Australia and Pakistan are still due to tour later in the summer.
The money-spinning IPL, which should have started on March 29, was postponed but media reports said the BCCI may aim for a tournament in September-October, ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
As Australia’s borders are currently closed to non-residents as a measure against coronavirus, there are doubts the tournament can go ahead as scheduled.
Tennis
The ATP said it will not resume tournament play until the first week of August in Washington. The WTA is still scheduling events in Palermo from July 20-26 and in Karlsruhe on July 28-August 2, for now at least.
The French Open has already been moved to Sept 20-Oct 4 although there are suggestions that it may be put back by a further week. Organisers say it could be played behind closed doors.
The United States Tennis Association will decide in mid-June on the US Open in New York.
Motor sport
Formula One plans to open its season in Austria with back-to-back races on July 5 and 12. F1 boss Chase Carey insists that a 15-18 race season is still possible. Silverstone’s hopes of also staging back-to-back races after Austria are in the balance after the British government insisted that all arrivals in the country undergo a two-week quarantine period.
NASCAR returned behind closed doors earlier in May at Darlington Raceway, South Carolina.
MotoGP hopes to start with back-to-back races at Jerez, Spain, on July 19 and 26.
Basketball
The NBA, whose players are conducting individual workouts at team facilities where allowed, exploring a plan to resume the season in late July at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, although final details have yet to be determined.
Baseball
Major League Baseball wants an 82-game schedule to open in July after three weeks of pre-season training, with games to be played at home stadiums with no spectators. However, players are disappointed that pay cuts have been suggested by team owners.
Ice hockey
The National Hockey League will abandon the rest of the regular season and proceed directly to a 24-team playoff staged in two hub cities. Ten cities are in the running for the two hub centres, including seven from the US: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh. The three Canadian cities are Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton.
Golf
After the cancellation of the British Open, the remaining majors are the PGA Championship from August 6-9 in San Francisco and the rescheduled US Open from Sept 17-20 at Winged Foot, New York, with the Masters at Augusta, usually played in April, scheduled for November 12-15.
The Ryder Cup, at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, from September 25-27, could take place without fans.
The USPGA hopes its tournament season can resume with the Charles Schwab Challenge from June 11 in Fort Worth, Texas.
The LPGA Tour is due to reopen on July 23 at the Marathon Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.
Golf’s European Tour will be back on July 22 with a run of six tournaments over six weeks in the UK, starting with the British Masters.
Cycling
The Tour de France has been rescheduled for a August 29 start from its original June 27 date.
The Giro d’Italia will take place from October 3-25 with a six-day overlap with the Vuelta a Espana and will be raced at the same time as three ‘Monument’ classics.
Athletics
The Diamond League, which was to have started in Doha on April 17, is now scheduled to open in Monaco on August 14.
With the exception of a June 11 meeting in Oslo that will feature modified events in line with social distancing rules, the rejigged Diamond League calendar will showcase 12 meetings, culminating in China on October 17 at a venue yet to be arranged.
Racing
The first English classics, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas are to be run at Newmarket on the first weekend of June.
Flat racing’s showpiece meeting Royal Ascot it is hoped will follow shortly afterwards on June 16. However, it will do so without racegoers, including its most notable attendee Queen Elizabeth II who will miss it for the first time since 1952.
The Derby and Oaks will be behind closed doors at Epsom Downs on July 4 instead of June.
In the United States, the Triple Crown will now start on June 20 with the Belmont Stakes, followed by the rescheduled Kentucky Derby on September 5 and the Preakness Stakes on October 3.
Rugby
The NRL season in Australia restarted on Thursday.
In union, summer internationals have been cancelled as has the French Top 14.
New Zealand’s Super Rugby franchises will compete in a new competition played behind closed doors starting on June 13.
Reporting and photo: AFP
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort has announced the return of former England striker and Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen for a third Kids’ Football Camp, scheduled from 14 to 17 October 2026.
The four-day programme will be open to children aged five to 13 of all skill levels, with sessions combining football coaching, skills drills and games alongside beach activities and island experiences. The camp will conclude with a Grand Finale on 17 October, when participating children will receive medals and certificates.
Participation in the camp will be complimentary for guests staying at Avani+ Fares Maldives during the event period.
The October programme will mark Owen’s third football camp at the Baa Atoll resort and his second visit to the property this year, following an Easter edition held in late March and early April. The resort first introduced the programme in October 2025.
The inaugural camp ran from 20 to 23 October 2025, followed by a Grand Finale on 24 October. Owen led coaching sessions on the resort’s football pitch, with the programme designed to give young guests opportunities to learn from the former England international while focusing on football skills, teamwork and participation. The first edition was complimentary for eligible children staying at the resort.
Following the response to the first camp, Avani+ Fares brought Owen back for its Easter programme in 2026. More than 30 children and teenagers participated in the second edition, taking part in daily sessions led by Owen and assistant coaches. Training covered areas including dribbling, passing, positioning and teamwork, with sessions adapted for different ages and ability levels.
The second camp also formed part of a wider programme for families, incorporating activities for children and teenagers beyond the football pitch. Participants concluded the programme with certificates and medals, while opportunities were also provided for meet-and-greet sessions, autograph signings and photographs with Owen.
Owen won the Ballon d’Or in 2001 and represented England during an international career that included appearances at three FIFA World Cups. At club level, he played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City. His involvement in the Avani+ Fares programme has been centred on introducing younger players to football through training and activities within a resort holiday setting.
The third edition will retain the programme’s focus on children aged five to 13, combining coaching with recreational activities during the October school holiday period. According to the resort’s announcement, the camp will include expert coaching, drills for different skill levels, beach games and island adventures before the final session and awards ceremony on 17 October.
Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort is located on Fares Island in Baa Atoll, within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and close to Hanifaru Bay. The property offers 176 rooms, pavilions, beach and overwater villas and residences, together with seven dining and bar venues. Its family facilities include AvaniKids, a Teens Club and Petit Bistro, a restaurant dedicated to younger guests.
The resort also provides access to snorkelling and diving on its house reef, alongside water sports, tennis, fitness and spa facilities. Avani+ Fares was named Best Beach Resort at the Travel Trade Maldives Awards 2025, following its Best Dive Resort recognition in 2024.
The return of Owen for a third camp continues Avani+ Fares Maldives’ use of sports-led programmes as part of its family offering, bringing the former England striker back to Fares Island less than seven months after his previous camp.
Following the success of her 2025 freediving retreat at Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, eleven-time freediving world-record holder and ocean conservationist Hanli Prinsloo will return to Baa Atoll this September with an expanded programme across two Minor Hotels resorts.
Hanli will begin with a Family Freediving Retreat at Avani+ Fares Maldives from 7 to 10 September before continuing to NH Collection Maldives Reethi for Into the Blue, a four-night retreat running from 14 to 18 September. Together, the two experiences offer different ways to explore the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, from a playful introduction for families to a more immersive programme for beginners and experienced freedivers aged 16 and above.
At Avani+ Fares, Hanli will introduce parents and children to freediving through breathwork, floating, snorkelling, gentle duck dives and underwater games. The focus is not on depth or competition, but on helping families build confidence in the water, understand their breathing and experience the ocean together at a comfortable pace.
The Family Freediving Retreat will open the resort’s annual Ocean Aware Month, a September programme dedicated to marine discovery and conservation. Activities will include coral conservation and planting workshops, underwater photography and videography sessions, beach clean-ups and PADI speciality courses.
On 17 September, Avani+ Fares will celebrate World Manta Day with marine-inspired art workshops for all ages and snorkelling excursions to Hanifaru Bay, known for its seasonal gatherings of manta rays.
“Baa Atoll keeps calling us back,” said Hanli Prinsloo. “Following last year’s retreat at Avani+ Fares, I am excited to return with a full family programme and to continue the journey at NH Collection Maldives Reethi. At Avani+ Fares, we will make freediving playful and approachable for parents and children. At Reethi, guests will have more time to develop their skills through breathwork, training and exploration. Both retreats are about building confidence in the ocean and understanding why this remarkable environment deserves our care.”
In addition, Hanli will host the four-night Into the Blue retreat at NH Collection Maldives Reethi. Open to guests aged 16 and above who are comfortable swimming, the programme combines yoga, meditation and guided breathing with house reef snorkelling, rope freediving and drift dives. Beginners and experienced freedivers can train together while progressing at their own pace.
The retreat will also include an excursion to Hanifaru Bay, approximately 15 minutes from the resort. At Reethi, guests can continue exploring from the island’s house reef, which supports marine life including angelfish, clownfish, reef sharks and sea turtles.
The three-night Family Freediving Retreat at Avani+ Fares Maldives starts from USD 3,160 per person, based on single occupancy. The package includes accommodation, full board, return seaplane transfers and all retreat sessions. Ocean Aware Month activities are complimentary for resort guests, subject to availability.
The four-night Into the Blue retreat at NH Collection Maldives Reethi starts from USD 4,333 net per adult, inclusive of accommodation on full board, return seaplane transfers and the full retreat programme.
For details and reservations, visit world.nh-hotels.com/en/nh-collection-maldives-reethi, email reservations.nree@nhcollection.com or call +960 660 2626.
JOALI Maldives has announced two exclusive tennis residencies with Grand Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Ana Ivanović, bringing world-class tennis to the island across November and the festive season.
Designed for both adults and younger players, the residencies offer guests the rare opportunity to step onto the court with two of the sport’s most accomplished athletes through intimate clinics and camps that combine technique, confidence, discipline and the joy of the game.
Set within JOALI Maldives’ philosophy of Creative Living, the programme brings a dynamic sporting dimension to island life, creating meaningful opportunities for guests to learn directly from champions while enjoying a highly personalised experience in the Maldives.
Game. Set. Inspire. with Elena Rybakina | 17–23 November 2026
Wimbledon Champion and Australian Open Champion 2026 Elena Rybakina invites guests to experience the game through the eyes of a Grand Slam champion.
Known for her powerful serve, precision and calm determination, Elena made history as Kazakhstan’s first Grand Slam singles champion when she claimed the Wimbledon title in 2022, before adding the 2026 Australian Open title to her achievements. She also reached a career-high ranking of World No. 2 in women’s singles.
Through two exclusive workshops for adults and younger players, guests will have the rare opportunity to train alongside one of the world’s leading athletes while discovering the discipline, focus and joy behind championship-level tennis.
Play Like a Champion with Ana Ivanović | 22–27 December 2026
Former World No. 1 Ana Ivanović brings her passion for tennis and Grand Slam-winning legacy to JOALI Maldives for an exclusive festive-season residency. Celebrated for her powerful forehand, competitive spirit and elegant style of play, Ana captured the 2008 French Open title before becoming World No. 1 in women’s singles and earning global acclaim as a modern tennis icon.
Guests will be invited to share the court with Ana across two exclusive workshops. The 60-minute Tennis Clinic for adults, ages 16 and above, focuses on the techniques, strategy and discipline that shaped her career. The 60-minute Tennis Camp for children ages 4 to 15 offers a lively introduction to tennis, helping young players develop skills, build confidence and find their rhythm on court.
From November through the festive season, the two residencies bring together championship-level sport and JOALI Maldives’ distinctive approach to meaningful guest experiences. With programming created for adults and families alike, guests can discover tennis in an intimate island setting while learning directly from two Grand Slam champions.
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