PARIS, March 10 (Xinhua) -- All the French Ligue 1 and second-tier Ligue 2 matches will be played behind closed doors until April 15 due to concerns over the rapid spreading of COVID-19 coronavirus in the country, the French football league announced on Tuesday.

The decision came after the French government on Sunday announced to ban all the gatherings of more than 1,000 people, but said some events which are "useful to national life" would be allowed to continue.

Last Saturday's Strasbourg home Ligue 1 game against Paris Saint-Germain has been postponed because of the terrible situation of the deadly virus in the region.

On Monday, PSG's Champions League encounter at the Parc des Princes against German side Dortmund was ordered to be played behind closed doors.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in France has reached 1,412 on Monday, while a total of 30 people have died of the disease so far.  ■