Top-level football competitions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in an unprecedented peacetime move.

The Football Association, the Premier League, the English Football League, FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship have all agreed to call a halt to competitive action with immediate effect until early April.

The Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Professional Football League issued a joint statement saying all football in that country was being suspended until further notice. In Wales and Northern Ireland, the domestic and grassroots season has been put on hold until April 4 at the earliest.

The England cricket team have cut short their tour of Sri Lanka, while the year’s first golf major, the Masters, has been postponed, following the cancellation of the Players Championship event in Florida this week.

The Wales v Scotland Six Nations rugby union match, which had been the only one of the original three ties due to be played this weekend still standing after games in France and Italy had been called off earlier, has now been postponed.

Formula One races in Bahrain and Vietnam this month and next have been cancelled, following on from Thursday’s announcement that the season-opening race in Australia this coming weekend had been called off.

On Friday morning UEFA announced all of next week’s Champions League and Europa League ties had been postponed, with competing teams affected by the virus itself and by travel restrictions imposed because of it.

The FA cancelled England’s international friendlies against Italy and Denmark later this month, while the Football Association of Wales called off the match against Austria on March 27.

The Premier League statement talked about its aim being to reschedule the displaced fixtures, but for both it and the EFL there may in the next month be issues to be faced in the event of no further action being possible for the foreseeable future to do with promotion and relegation, and European qualification.

In Italy, where competition has been suspended until April 3 at the earliest, a meeting will take place on March 23 to discuss what to do in the event of the season there being unable to finish.

The idea that the league table as it stands right now being the ‘final’ one opens up the prospect of legal challenges from affected clubs, but the focus from the competition organisers on Friday was ensuring the health and well-being of all involved in the first instance.

In the EFL in particular, the inability to play further matches would have a major financial implication too, with matchday earnings a vital source of revenue.

During his 2020 Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a package of £12billion to offer financial support for public services and businesses impacted by Covid-19.

The players’ union, the Professional Footballers’ Association, welcomed the move, saying: “We have been in regular dialogue with both the leagues and have communicated direct concerns from PFA delegates and senior players on behalf of their respective squads. The leagues shared these concerns.

“Collectively the stakeholders have made a decision based on the safety and welfare of players, club staff and fans.”

The Football Supporters’ Association chief executive Kevin Miles said: “Matchdays are a central part of a supporter’s life but this is an unprecedented public health emergency and public safety has to come first.

“The decision to suspend fixtures until April reflects the seriousness of the situation. Fans should heed the advice of health experts.”