FIFA medical committee chairman Michel D’Hooghe has said that he believes football should not return until the end of August at the earliest.
The coronavirus has caused the sport to be shut down worldwide since March, with leagues across Europe now exploring a possible return in May or June.
Some leagues though, such as the Eredivisie in the Netherlands and Ligue 1 in France, have already declared their 2019-20 seasons to be over.
Meanwhile, the Bundesliga has already seen its teams return to socially-distant training as it eyes a return to the pitch in May with matches behind closed doors.
D’Hooghe has warned against such a return though, saying that even games behind closed doors carry a major risk of causing a new outbreak of Covid-19.
“We are all subject to decisions at national level from the public authorities. It is very simple,” D'Hooghe told The Telegraph.
“Football suddenly becomes not the most important thing in life. I will be very happy if we can start, in a convenient way, the next championship and have nothing before the start of next season.
“If they could start the season 2020-21 end of August or beginning of September I would be happy. Then they could eventually avoid a second attack from the virus, which is not impossible.
“Everyone has to be very careful for the moment. I have heard in many countries they are thinking about playing football again, with or without the public.
“In my long career I have seen many situations where there has been a balance between economy and health. Mostly the economics won, whether that was about jet-lag or football at altitude or in extreme conditions such as pollution situations.
“If there is one circumstance where medical arguments should win against economical arguments, it is now. It is not a matter of money, it is a matter of life and death. It is very simple.”
D’Hooghe went on to warn of risks that would come from a return to the pitch, such as athletes changing and showering together before and after matches, as well as players spitting on the ground during games.