The new English football season will begin on September 12, and Premier League clubs hope to have trialled spectators in stadiums before then.

The 2020-21 top flight and EFL campaigns will commence on that date, but the PA news agency understands the full domestic calendar is not expected to be confirmed until the third week of August.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has spoken previously about a desire to be "guinea pigs" in the return of supporters amid the coronavirus pandemic, and it is understood clubs are keen to invite a limited number of spectators to pre-season matches over the summer.

A wider return of spectators on a socially-distanced basis to sporting events is set to occur from October 1.

While a season end date has been fixed - May 23 for the Premier League and May 8 and 9 for the EFL regular season - there are a host of calendar issues still to be resolved over the next few weeks.

It is not yet confirmed whether those clubs involved in European competition will begin their Premier League seasons on September 12, or whether they will be granted a delay. No decision was taken on that issue at Friday's shareholders' meeting.

There is also no confirmation yet whether there will be a winter break, or the format or schedule for the domestic cup competitions.

The delayed Euro 2020 finals start on June 11, 2021. In order for clubs to comply with the 14-day player release rule ahead of major tournaments, the FA Cup final would need to be played either on the same weekend as the last round of Premier League matches, on an earlier weekend or in a midweek slot before or immediately after that last round.

It has been reported that Premier League clubs want FA Cup third and fourth-round replays to be scrapped, and for ties to be played in midweek.

Fitting in the autumn rounds of the Carabao Cup could also be problematic, with the Champions League and Europa League group stages set to be played in every available midweek slot from the week beginning October 19 until the week beginning December 7. The only break will come in mid-November, the period set aside for international fixtures.

English clubs playing in Europe already receive a bye to the third round of the Carabao Cup, but further allowances may need to be made in order for these sides to compete on both fronts.