Up to 4000 fans to be allowed to attend English Premier League matches.
Premier League games – will soon see the return of fans, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday.
Areas of the country deemed to be low-risk regions in the Covid-19 pandemic will be allowed to welcome back 4,000 fans into outdoor stadiums in December.
Johnson laid out his new tiered proposal for when England exits lockdown on December 2; Tier 3 areas of the country will still be barred from allowing fans into stadiums, but Tier 1 regions will be allowed attendances of up to 4,000. Tier 2 will be permitted up to 2,000 supporters.
Steven Swinford of the Times breaks it down:
Sounds like sport is back from Dec 2:
Tier 1
4,000 spectators/ 50% capacity for outdoor events, whichever is lower, and 2,000/ 50% capacity for indoor
Tier 2
2,000 spectators/50% capacity outdoors, whichever is lower, and 1,000/ 50% indoors
Tier 3
Ban on spectators remains
— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) November 23, 2020
The proposed new tiered system won’t immediately provide relief to all. Teams in Liverpool and Manchester, for example, potentially find themselves remaining in Tier 3 restrictions, meaning a full ban on spectators remains in place.
Based on the tiers as outlined going into lockdown, London teams might find themselves in Tier 2, allowing for a partial return of 2,000 fans for each home game. As Rob Harris of the Press Association highlights, this could bring its own logistical nightmare:
The biggest challenge for Premier League clubs: How to distribute just a few thousand tickets to games?
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) November 23, 2020
The presence of fans – and therefore gate receipts – will be timely for the likes of Tottenham, who head into London derbies with Chelsea and Arsenal in their next two Premier League fixtures.
