The Football Association has informed clubs at steps five and six of the non-league system that their seasons “must end immediately” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision represents the first outright cancellation of a competition since English football was suspended up and down the country earlier this month.

The FA will now consult with league organisers at steps five and six on whether to enforce promotion and relegation or declare competitions null and void.

Approximately 650 semi-professional and amateur clubs play in the 17 leagues at steps five and six, eight and nine promotions below the Premier League respectively.

Representatives from those leagues held a video conference with the FA on Tuesday. In a statement published on Twitter, the Essex Senior League confirmed the FA’s decision to end the 2019-20 season early.

“The consensus was there is no option of any football being played for the rest of this season due to the coronavirus outbreak,” it read.

“Even if the FA were to extend, it wasn’t going to be possible to complete remaining games, also subject to being allowed to socialise by May.”

Teams could be promoted and relegated according to their average points-per-game, though the Essex Senior League said stakeholders were evenly split on the matter.

“The FA League Committee are to determine the terms of that conclusion which seems at present to be a 50:50 split between PPG (points-per-game) promotion/relegation or complete null and void of the 2019/20 season,” the league said.​

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