Euro 2021: UEFA working on plan to ensure presence of fans at every match

The European football’s governing body is working towards ensuring that every match at this year’s delayed pan-continental Euros would be staged in front of fans. This summer’s championship is due to be held in 12 different countries. UEFA has made their stand clear on audience attending the matches whereas cities insisting on holding matches behind closed doors might be switched.

“If a city proposes a no fans scenario” the matches due to be held there “could” be switched “to cities able to welcome supporters”, UEFA told AFP on Wednesday, 17th March .

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Talking to a Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti, the federation’s president Aleksander Ceferin on Sunday said that the 11th June to 11th July event would not be “staged in front of empty stands”.

“Every host must guarantee the presence of fans”, he said.

“Whilst the prevalence of ultra-contagious variants of Covid-19 rule out any easing of restrictions, ‘fans are obligatory’ criteria could see the tournament reduced to being held in ’10 or 11 countries'”, Ceferin indicated.

April 7 would be the last date by which the host cities need to let UEFA know their stands in terms of attendance. This would be done ahead of an executive meeting which is scheduled on April 19, on the eve of the federation’s annual congress in Montreux.

Though complex, the multi-venue format gives organizers flexibility to deal with issues due to the pandemic.

“If we can no longer do anything in one country there are still 11 others countries where preparations are already in progress,” UEFA’s health advisor Daniel Koch told AFP at the beginning of this month.