All forms of 18 years and under competition - non-contact and full-contact - will lead the way out of the COVID-19 shutdown, being able to resume from Monday, June 22.

Non-contact competitions for all age groups will also be able to restart on the same day.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews announced this on Sunday as part of the next phase in the staggered return of community sport.

Full-contact sports still face a wait, although dates have been set for their return.

Full contact training for adults may resume on Monday, July 13, leading to a resumption of full-contact open age competition from Monday, July 20.

A state government spokesperson has also confirmed that crowds will be able to attend outdoor sport under strict conditions.

Spectators will be confined to separate groups of up to 20, with no interaction between groups and social distancing adhered to within each group.

Central Highlands Football League president Doug Hobson, and Ballarat Football and Netball League general manager Shane Anwyl, each welcomed the announcements - agreeing they were positive.

With dates for competition locked in, sporting organisations can now make informed decisions on what path they want to take this year.

The timing of Sunday's COVID-19 update came as a surprise to the CHFL and BFNL, with it coming a week earlier than most expected.

Hobson said the announcement provided some hope for getting a season up and running, but there was still a lot of work to be done.

He said it was particularly encouraging for juniors.

Hobson said a CHFL meeting on Wednesday would continue the discussion, including the logistical challenge of catering for a crowd under the stringent guidelines.

Anwyl said it was too early to say whether the BFNL would bring forward its planned date of Friday, June 26, to make a call on whether its season went ahead.

He said the BFNL would wait for more information and further clarity from AFL Victoria before making decisions on its competitions.

Even with the green light from the state government, the CHFL and BFNL still face tight timelines to fit in a season.

CHFL has stated it does not want to play into October owing to the clashes with summer sports this would provide. With a July 25 start for a season, this leaves a window of 10 weeks.

The BFNL says it will not play anything less than an 11-round home and away season - allowing each club to play each other once - plus finals.

A July 25 start would most likely see an October 24 grand final.

Other COVID-19 sport updates for June 22 included:

- Allow indoor sports centres and physical recreation venues, including gyms, to open with up to 20 people per space and up to 10 people per group at any one time for over 18-year-olds. Changing rooms open.

- Changing rooms and showers open in swimming pools and no lane limits, but a maximum of 20 people in the pool area.

MEANWHILE AFL Victoria says it stands ready to assist leagues return to competition play.

"We want to thank the State Government for its support of Victorian football and thank the community and our health and essential workers - and wider Victorian community - for an environment where community sport can resume," AFL Victoria said on Sunday.

"We are excited to work with our leagues and clubs to begin the 2020 community football and AFL Auskick season where so many girls, boys, women and men have the opportunity to return to play.

"As we prepare to move toward contact-training and competition play, we will work with leagues, clubs, participants, coaches, umpires and all volunteers to ensure we return to competition play in an effective and safe manner.

"We know how much community football means to families and we look forward to working together to ensuring community clubs return to play in a safe and well managed environment."

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