Limited Numbers Of Fans To Return After Lockdown

Fans will be allowed back into stadiums after the end of lockdown, as part of the government’s Covid Winter Plan.

A limited number of fans will be permitted to attend matches and events in England, with up to 4,000 fans permitted in outdoor grounds.

The provisions will be made in line with the government’s tiered system of restrictions, with up to 4,000 socially distant fans permitted (or half the capacity of the stadium, whichever is fewer) in tier one areas and up to 2,000 in tier two. No fans will be permitted in tier three.

Indoor arenas will also be allowed to have up to 1,000 socially distant fans in tier one and two areas.

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said that the move was made on the back of successful pilot schemes held in August and September. He said it was, ‘a big step forward for fans as we work towards fuller capacities,’ and ‘thanks to pilot hosts and fans,’ who showed staging matches in front of socially-distant crowds ‘can be done safely.’

In a statement, the Premier League said that fans had been ‘greatly missed’, but that despite the move, clubs will still ‘operate at a financial loss.’

“Our priority continues to be the agreement of a roadmap, with DCMS and the Sports Technology and Innovation Group, for pilot events that can help our clubs quickly scale up to larger capacities in line with the Sports Ground Safety Authority’s COVID-secure guidelines and beyond,” it said. “Premier League clubs have a proven track record of achieving high-biosecurity standards and we believe we can play a significant role in the government’s rapid turnaround testing initiative.”

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO, Sport England welcomed the return of grassroots sport, also included in the Covid Winter Plan.

“From the Prime Minister down,” he said, “there is now a strong recognition of the vital benefits of playing sport and being active, not just for your physical wellbeing, but also crucially as a support for your mental health.

“As we head into the winter months, having a range of safe opportunities available like this is more important than ever.”