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England makes a final desperate request to the government to allow the Nations League clash with Iceland to be played at Wembley … with coronavirus travel restrictions not allowing the opposition to enter the UK after Denmark’s game
- England are scheduled to play Iceland next Wednesday, but plans are in shambles
- Iceland plays Denmark in Copenhagen first and is currently not allowed in the UK
- That’s because of new Covid rules that prohibit non-British citizens from coming from Denmark.
- FA has made a desperate final request for the government to grant Iceland an exemption
The Football Association has called on the government to allow England’s UEFA Nations League match against Iceland to be played at Wembley.
As it stands, the Icelandic team will play Denmark in Copenhagen on Sunday and will therefore be subject to a travel ban to the UK due to coronavirus restrictions.
A ban was imposed on non-British citizens coming from Denmark in the early hours of Saturday morning amid concerns about a new strain of Covid-19 that has spread from mink to humans.
England players await news of their match against Iceland next Wednesday
Iceland could be denied entry to the UK by new rules as they travel to play Denmark on Sunday.
Germany and Albania have been proposed as potential destinations for the meeting if it is now allowed to take place in England as expected.
A statement from the FA said: “We have asked the government to consider allowing us to play our last UEFA Nations League match at Wembley Stadium, by granting a travel exemption to the Icelandic team subject to strict medical protocols.
“The Icelandic team will have played Denmark in Copenhagen and therefore would be subject to a travel ban.
“While in Denmark they will have been under strict UEFA protocols in a sports bubble and will undergo PCR testing before traveling to England. The PCR test detects the Cluster 5 variant. ‘
The FA has said that it will ensure that the Icelandic team remains in a biosecure bubble and receives additional testing.
“We have agreed with the Icelandic team that they arrive by private charter at a private terminal and will only have access to their hotel and the stadium,” the governing body added.
The FA has now begged the Government to allow the match to take place at Wembley
England expects Boris Johnson and the Government to grant Iceland an exemption
“We will also implement additional tests in addition to the multiple tests that are normally required for each participant and staff in the match.”
Meanwhile, the FA will have to pay the bill if the game against Iceland is played at a neutral venue.
How Sportsmail Revealed Monday, Albania and Germany are neutral options if the match cannot continue as planned.
And the FA is faced with the prospect of having to cover the high costs if played in an alternative venue, even though they believe the match should not be relocated abroad.
Because the game against Iceland is considered England’s home game, UEFA regulations mean that the FA has to pay all related expenses, including stadium, security and personnel costs.
It also means that the FA would have to pay additional travel and hotel expenses for players and staff.
The news has angered FA members, particularly given the £ 300 million financial black hole in the organization’s budget caused by Covid.
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