The Taiwan Football Premier League was preparing to begin its 2020 season without spectators as football authorities introduced restrictions in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Chinese Taipei Football Association announced that the league was still expected to open on April 12, but the first fixtures would be played behind closed doors.
The decision meant that supporters would not be allowed into the stadiums during the opening stage of the campaign. Access would instead be limited to players, coaching staff, officials and other personnel required for the matches to take place.
Health Measures Around Matches
The restrictions formed part of a wider set of precautions designed to reduce the risk of infection while allowing domestic football to continue.
Teams and officials were expected to follow health checks before entering match venues. Sanitation procedures and controls on access were also part of the measures introduced around league fixtures.
Anyone displaying symptoms or considered a potential health risk could be separated from the main group and dealt with under the health procedures in place at the time.
A Different Start to the 2020 Season
The situation created an unusual opening to the Taiwan Premier League season. Clubs were preparing for competitive football while many leagues elsewhere in the world had already been suspended or postponed.
Although spectators could not initially attend in person, supporters still had the possibility of following league matches online. That became especially important as Taiwan's domestic competition began attracting attention from football fans outside the country.
The opening of the season would also coincide with wider changes to Taiwan's domestic football structure, including plans for a new second division and a formal promotion and relegation system.
Those changes were detailed in our report, TFPL Adopts New Promotion-Relegation System as New 2nd Division Slated For July 2020 .