Originally, the plan was to allow far less than that number of fans in at Wembley Stadium. However, the extended allowance was agreed on after talks with UEFA.
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The UK government said on Tuesday that crowd capacity for the Euro 2020 knockout games is now bigger than planned. Originally, the plan was to allow far less than that number of fans in at Wembley Stadium. However, the extended allowance was agreed on after talks with UEFA.
“It is great news that so many fans will be able to watch the final three matches of Euro 2020 at Wembley,” said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.
The UK government at first postponed lifting all restrictions until July 19. But the game at Wembley, along with other sporting events, is allowed extra crowd capacity under the Events Research Programme.
“This tournament has been a beacon of hope to reassure people that we are returning to a more normal way of life and this is a further step along that road,” added Ceferin.
“I am grateful to the prime minister and the UK government for their hard work in finalising these arrangements with us, to make the tournament final stages a great success in Wembley.”
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden also spoke positively on the developments. “As we continue to make progress on our roadmap out of lockdown, keeping the public safe remains our top priority.
“We have worked extremely closely with Uefa and the Football Association to ensure rigorous and tight public health measures are in place whilst allowing more fans to see the action live.
“The finals promise to be an unforgettable moment in our national recovery from the pandemic.”
There was also talk about moving the competition to Hungary or another venue to allow more fans in. The original belief was that England would not go beyond the agreed on limit.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman earlier gave an upbeat message on the issue of the VIP attendance. However, they declined to confirm whether an agreement had already been reached with UEFA.
“We’re looking forward to putting on a fantastic semi-finals and final at Wembley and will do so safely and securely,” he said.
However, all of this ignores the fact that Covid-19 cases have been rising in England. The country is currently seeing an average of over 8,000 new cases daily.
England take on the Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday. The stadium in northwest London will also host five knockout games. This includes both semi-finals and the final.
Some of the biggest events in Britain’s summer sporting calendar, including Wimbledon and international cricket matches, will also go ahead with greater capacities.
This is part of the latest phase of the government’s pilot programme to test the return of large crowds.
