Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced plans that will see fans return to Premier League and EFL stadiums from October for the 2020/21 season. It is part of the government’s wider plan to restore ‘substantial normality’ to everyday life by Christmas 2020.
Fans have been unable to attend football matches and other sporting events since March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and there were earlier fears that a return to sports before the end of 2020 was unlikely. .
Fans will not be at games this season. / Peter Powell / Getty Images
However, Johnson confirmed on Friday morning that the government hopes to allow supporters to return to the stadium within three months.
Things will not return to normal immediately, as this must still be done in what has been described as a ‘covid-safe method’, and will also be subject to the completion of successful test events.
“We will be starting larger gatherings in venues like sports stadiums with the goal of a wider reopening in the fall. From October we plan to get fans back into stadiums,” Johnson said.
But he made it very clear that, barring the return of another large-scale event, “…these changes must be made in a Covid-safe manner, subject to the successful outcome of the pilots.”
Premier League fans got to watch the game on TV/Lawrence Griffiths/Getty Images
It also means the return of fans to the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship games. Unlike the Premier League and EFL Championship, women’s football has not yet resumed as the 2019/20 season was abandoned due to restart difficulties.
Premier League fans are used to accessing every game live on television while the stadiums are closed. But although fans won’t start returning until October – it’s not yet clear how full stadiums will reopen once they reopen – the normal broadcast model will resume from the start of next season.
This means potentially around a month at the start of the campaign where some supporters will not have direct access to their club’s games.
For more from Jamie Spencer, follow her on Twitter and Facebook!