It is understood that UEFA expects a litany of concessions from the UK government if the plan is to go through.
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Amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic, the final of the UEFA Champions League final is arguably the biggest game of the year so far to allow fans in attendance. The final, to be played between two English sides, Manchester City and Chelsea, was scheduled to be played in Turkey. However, with the British government putting Turkey on its COVID-19 red list, things have strayed off course. The government decision means no English fans can travel to Turkey for the match. That has put a dent in UEFA’s plans to have fans back in attendance.
The 2021 #UCLfinal is set! ?
Manchester City ? Chelsea #UCL pic.twitter.com/9WMV1GzbJu
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 5, 2021
However, the UK government has said that it was open to hosting the game at the Wembley stadium. Therefore, talks between UEFA officials and the UK government regarding the issue will commence on Monday.
UEFA reportedly expects a litany of concessions if this plan was to go through. These include the UK government allowing as many as 22,500 fans in Wembley Stadium for the Champions League final.
That is a sharp rise from the 8,000 that attended the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. UEFA also wants its staff and international broadcasters allowed entry to the UK without requiring quarantine.
UK cabinet minister Michael Gove said delicate negotiations are underway. Transport secretary Grant Shipps earlier had confirmed that the UK would be happy to host the final in England. “There are delicate negotiations that are going on at the moment,” Gove said on Sky News. “My friend, my colleague the culture secretary Oliver Dowden (the minister for sport) is talking to people about this at the moment, and so I don’t want to cut across that. But I’m sure that fans in the UK would dearly love to see the final played here in the UK,” he concluded.
Transport secretary Shipps also said that the English FA was in discussion with UEFA over the issue. “The FA are in discussions with UEFA on this. We are very open to hosting the final but it is ultimately a decision for UEFA. Of course, the UK has already got a successful track record of football matches with spectators, so we are well placed to do it,” he said.
