The English Football League (EFL) has secured a £117.5 million ($161 million) financial package to help cash-strapped Championship clubs survive the coronavirus pandemic. The loan, agreed with MetLife Investment Management, matches the figure requested by the 24 second-tier clubs as they struggle to cope with a severe loss of revenue due to empty stadiums. The Premier League had previously pledged £15 million towards set-up costs and interest, alongside a £50 million grant for League One and League Two clubs. "This past month has marked an unwelcome anniversary for football, with supporters now being unable to attend matches for a 12-month period, resulting in multiple negative consequences," said EFL chairman Rick Parry. "This is therefore a much welcome, timely package of support for Championship clubs, whose operations have continued to incur significant costs without generating anywhere near normal levels of revenue." Fixtures in the EFL, which runs the second, third and fourth tiers of English football, will continue to be played behind closed doors until at least mid-May. England has entered the second phase of its roadmap out of its Covid-19 lockdown thanks in large part to a successful vaccination drive. The third step of the easing of restrictions, to be implemented on May 17 at the earliest, would allow stadiums to open with a 25 percent capacity limit, up to a maximum of 10,000 spectators, if pilot events are successful. The Championship play-off finals take place at Wembley at the end of May. jw/pi/iwd