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The BRITISH will be able to watch live football from December 2, as the PM plans a relaxation of sports rules for Christmas.
A certain number of stadium fans will be allowed in to cheer on their teams.
Fans haven’t been able to see their best teams in person since before the first lockdown in March.
Brighton fans were able to watch their team’s friendly against Chelsea in late August.
But no other Premier League team has allowed fans to enter since that test event.
Tier 1 is expected to allow up to 4,000 fans to view, with just 2,000 at Tier 2.
Only two Premier League clubs, Brighton and Southampton, which are expected to remain under Covid Level 1 restrictions after the lockdown ends on December 2, will be able to enter the maximum amount.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sports has been pushing plans to allow fans in areas where coronavirus infection rates are low to attend games.
But others in the government were concerned about creating crowded trains and forcing people to queue outside stadiums, which could possibly spread the virus and increase infections.
Soccer games have been allowed to go ahead, but behind closed doors and without fans.
Other sports have been allowed to welcome crowds again in limited numbers.
It came when the prime minister was to confirm that grassroots outdoor sport could return and gyms could reopen after the lockdown is lifted.
MPs were furious that outdoor activities, where there is less chance of spreading the coronavirus, had been banned.
The expansion of mass testing has also raised hopes that fans will be able to return to the stadiums soon.
The restrictions will be a blow to the bigger clubs that typically have five-figure doors.
But for several smaller clubs, the reopening, even on a reduced scale, of their main source of income will be a huge boost.
The Prem clubs, who were still waiting for details, will be less impressed.
Spurs president Daniel Levy announced today that his club will face a loss of £ 150 million for this season if fans remain excluded throughout the campaign.
But allowing just 2,000 fans at Tottenham’s 62,000-capacity stadium could make it more costly to reopen than to keep the ground closed until the maximum number of attendance is higher.
The five Boxing Day Prem matches with fans, the first to take place in front of the fans since March, will be Aston Villa against Crystal Palace, Fulham’s game with Southampton, Leicester’s home game with Manchester United, the Brighton’s trip to West Ham and the Wolves against the Spurs. .
Only local fans would be allowed in, subject to social distancing rules, while fans are expected to have an “electronic passport” confirming they are free from infection.
Brighton is scheduled to face Arsenal at the Amex on December 28, and West Ham will travel to St. Mary’s the same day in front of the biggest crowds.
Club bosses have been calling for a change in government stance since the initial shutdown in March.
Rehearsals of up to 2,000 supporters were held in early fall ahead of a possible nationwide launch on October 2.
But that was canned when the second wave of the virus arrived, before the second ongoing lockdown began earlier this month.
Now it appears that the Government is ready to demonstrate that it is possible to return to “normality”, and allowing fans to participate again in sporting events will be an important milestone.
However, the clubs don’t know exactly what it will mean and are struggling to get as much information as possible.
But for fans and clubs at the lower echelons, as well as the National League, the news will be a genuine lifesaver and perhaps the key to their financial survival.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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