"In light of ongoing developments resulting from the coronavirus, and after consulting with medical experts and convening a conference call of the Board of Governors, the National Hockey League is announcing today that it will pause the 2019‑20 season beginning with tonight’s games", NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, the US Soccer Federation cancelled all men's and women's national teams in March and April. The National Basketball Association (NBA) on 11 March suspended its season after a player tested positive for COVID-19.
The La Liga season and the EuroCup in Spain have also been suspended for at least the next two weeks.
On 11 March, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus spread a pandemic. The number of cases of infection with the virus worldwide has surpassed 126,000 and more than 4,600 people have died from the disease. About 68,000 people have recovered from the novel coronavirus infection. Coronavirus has already affected many sporting events across the globe, forcing organizers to reschedule, suspend or hold them behind closed doors.