Champions League, Europa: UEFA takes major decision on return of fans to stadiums

 

The Union of European Football Associations, UEFA, will allow spectators back into matches in the Champions League, Europa League and its other club and international competitions “at a maximum of 30 per cent” of capacity.

 

UEFA disclosed this in a post via its official website on Thursday.

 

All matches in the Champions League, Europa League and Nations League have been played behind closed doors because of COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Today’s decision follows a successful experiment at the Super Cup in Budapest last week when around 15,500 spectators watched Bayern Munich beat Sevilla.

 

Reacting to the development, UEFA president, Aleksander Ceferin, said: “Today’s decision is a sensible first step which puts fans’ health first and respects the laws in each country.

 

“While we all face a common enemy in COVID-19, different countries have different approaches and different challenges at any given moment.

 

“This decision allows much more local flexibility to deal with admitting fans than was previously the case, always respecting the assessment of local authorities.”

 

The UEFA Champions League and the Europa League will begin later this month.