In a note provided by the Spanish Athletics Federation, World Athletics emphasizes the current complicated situation that "would have seriously compromised the event". The 24th edition of this world championship now has a new date: October 17th.

The World Half Marathon Championship is the second international event that World Athletics has been forced to postpone due to the coronavirus, following the Indoor Track and Field World Championship in Nanjing, which was supposed to take place from March 13 to 15, 2020 and will be held in 2021.

The Rome Marathon, which was scheduled for the same date, March 29, has also been suspended. Paris has postponed its marathon to October 18th and its half marathon to September 6th.