German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the media following a meeting with leaders of the 16 federal states to discuss the country's response following the spread of the coronavirus, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. In an effort to harmonize different coronavirus measures across the country, Germany will implement a nationwide fine for people not wearing face masks and also ban mass events until the end of the year, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday. (Michele Tantussi/Pool Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
BERLIN (AP) - Bundesliga games will likely remain without fans until next year after German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that a ban on large events will be extended to Dec. 31.
Merkel met with her 16 state governors on Thursday to discuss how to proceed as coronavirus infections rise again in Germany.
Sport was not the main focus of the talks, but it is covered by the decision to extend the ban on events where hygiene and tracing can't be ensured. That ban was initially set to run until Oct. 31 but was extended for another two months.
The state governors' chiefs of staff will form a working group to consider the possibility of spectators at events and report their findings by the end of October.
Bavarian governor Markus Söder agreed with health minister Jens Spahn's assertion that it would send the 'œwrong signal'ť to allow fans go to games.
Germany has reported 240,420 cases of the coronavirus, with 9,290 deaths attributed to COVID-19. But concern is growing as the number of daily new infections is rising.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
From left, Bavarian State Prime Minister Markus Soeder, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mayor of Hamburg Peter Tschentscher attend a news conference following a meeting with leaders of the 16 federal states to discuss the country's response following the spread of the coronavirus, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. In an effort to harmonize different coronavirus measures across the country, Germany will implement a nationwide fine for people not wearing face masks and also ban mass events until the end of the year, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday. (Michele Tantussi/Pool Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
Bavarian State Prime Minister Markus Soeder addresses the media following a meeting with leaders of the 16 federal states to discuss the country's response following the spread of the coronavirus, at the Chancellery in Berlin, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. In an effort to harmonize different coronavirus measures across the country, Germany will implement a nationwide fine for people not wearing face masks and also ban mass events until the end of the year, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday. (Michele Tantussi/Pool Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
A conductor is reflected in a parked ICE train in the main train station in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. An announcement of German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the further strategy to avoid the outspread of the Coronavirus is expected later today. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press