The Dutch football association says it still intends to press ahead with resuming the Eredivise competition in mid-June, despite resistance from a number of clubs, including three of the current top four in the league.

The KNVB position is in line with that taken by Uefa, which has called on all leagues to finish the season by early August. The decision follows a video conference with representatives of clubs, supporters, sponsors and TV rights holder Fox Sports earlier on Tuesday.

The KNVB says it is counting on competition resuming the weekend of 19 June, if the public health institute RIVM gives the go ahead. The games would most likely take place without fans. The aim is that clubs should restart training mid May, the AD said.

Last week several leading club officials, including Ajax’s technical director Marc Overmars, called for the competition to be abandoned.

‘The Eredivie is dead, the fun has gone out of it,’ Overmars said in an interview with the Telegraaf.

Prime minister Mark Rutte told a news conference on Tuesday evening that the cabinet would not decide if organised events can resume until late April. ‘It is up to the KNVB and its legal advisors to decide if training can restart in May,’ he said.

Organised events have been banned until June 1.

The KNVB’s director of professional football Eric Gudde told broadcaster NOS later in the evening that the Ajax is now prepared to play out the league if safety can be guaranteed.

There will be more clarity in the week of April 24, after the RIVM has decided if the current lockdown can be gradually lifted, the KNVB said.