Trial to get fans back in stadiums goes well
FOOTBALL fans up and down the country have received a huge boost in their bid to return to matches this year.
The Government is said to be pleased with the success of football’s first fan pilot event, which took place over the weekend.
Football fans were welcomed back into an all-Premier
League friendly at the Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Brighton & Hove Albion hosted Chelsea.
Supporters have been prevented from entering stadiums since March in England’s top-four divisions due to Covid-19.
But Saturday’s game, which was closely observed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, is believed to have pleased Government officials.
The report adds that they will now liaise this week with experts from the Sports Grounds Safety Authority about scaling up the pilot schemes.
Plans are already in place to open turnstiles to restricted audiences across various sports throughout September.
A Premiership rugby fixture between Harlequins and Bath, cricket matches in the Bob Willis Trophy and T20 Blast, a basketball friendly at Newcastle, speedway at Ipswich and racing at Doncaster, Newmarket and Warwick have all been selected.
West Ham have been allowed a capacity of 1,000 fans for the Women’s Super League fixture against Arsenal, at Dagenham and Redbridge’s Victoria Road, on September 12.
The FA hopes to invite a crowd of about 10,000 into Wembley Stadium for the Trophy and Vase finals on September 20. It is hoped that supporters will be able to return to Premier League and EFL matches at the start of October.