Fans in 5 weeks
FANS could be back in Premier League grounds within five weeks – with a friendly between two top-flight sides likely to be the test for new socially-distanced football crowds.
Failing that, the FA are keen to volunteer Wembley as the perfect environment for the return of spectators in competitive football, with
Liverpool set to feature in the Community Shield on the weekend of August 29.
But this season’s FA Cup final on August 1 has already been ruled out as too soon to organise the new protocols necessary if the Government continues to ease lockdown measures.
At this point there have been no formal discussions around a return to football with fans but preparations are being put in place after the Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced trials would begin to see larger gatherings in places like sports stadiums to correspond with the remaining leisure centres being reopened on August 1.
“We will pilot larger gatherings in venues such as sports stadia with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn,” said Johnson. “All of these measures, for August 1, should be done in a Covid-secure way.”
The World Snooker Championships, Glorious Goodwood and two cricket friendlies are the first events in phase one of the return of spectators to sporting venues and football very much wants to be part of phase two.
Mass gatherings have been banned since March and EFL clubs in particular have been crippled by the lack of revenue.
But it raises hopes that the majority of the 2020-21 season will be able to be played with some people coming in through the turnstiles, although it may well be some time before grounds are filled to anything like near to capacity.