Ipswich Town's game at Bristol Rovers tomorrow and home against Portsmouth next week have been cancelled after the English Football League backtracked on an earlier decision to carry on playing games.

All Premier League games, EFL fixtures and matches in the FA Women's Super League and Women's Championship have been postponed until at least April 3 due to the spread of coronavirus.

Doubts were raised on Thursday morning about Town's games, with reports claiming they could be played behind closed doors and live streamed. The EFL issues statement last night urging clubs to carry on as usual before confirming today, all matches should be suspended.

Ipswich manager Paul Lambert welcomed the suspension and added: ""There are more important things than football and you can't gamble with what's going on.

"Football across the globe has been suspended and quite rightly and it should be happening here until the virus is under control."

"There are more important things than football and you can't gamble with what's going on.

"Every other sport has called off events, golf, Formula 1, NBA. People's lives are at stake so for me, in my opinion, the season should be suspended.

"I don't think it's right to play behind closed doors either. I have played behind closed doors myself and it's nowhere near the same. The game is for the fans and without the fans you have nothing."

The Premier League said action would resume on 4 April "subject to medical advice and conditions at the time".

The Football Association said England's games against Italy on 27 March and Denmark four days later are off.

The EFL, which hopes to resume play a day earlier, said clubs were also advised to suspend "non-essential activities" such as "player appearances, training ground visits and fan meetings.

A number of footballers have tested positive with Covid-19, with Arsenal in lockdown after manager Mikel Arteta was diagnosed with the virus.

Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi has also tested positive, with Bournemouth, Everton and Leicester players also self-isolating after showing symptoms.

Unless the suspension is extended, Town's next game will be at home against Southend United on Saturday, April 4.