Joe GallopWembley Stadium will accomodate 75% of its 90,000 audience capacity for the semi-finals and final of the rescheduled UEFA Euro 2020 Championships – the largest attendance at a UK sporting event in more than 15 months.
The fixtures will form part of the government’s Events Research Programme (ERP). All ticket holders will need to show a negative Covid-19 test or proof of full vaccination 14 days before the fixtures on 6, 7 and 11 July. Talks are ongoing between UEFA, the Government and the FA for up to 2,500 foreign VIPs to be exempt and allowed to attend the final.
UEFA said further details including ticket sales will be announced in due course, but it is expected that ticket holders in the UK who lost tickets for the semi-finals and final in the re-ballot will be at the front of the queue to be at the games.
DCMS said the next phase of the ERP will also include more sport and cultural pilots as the government plans up to 20 indoor and outdoor events at “close to full capacity”.
Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said, “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 FA 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.”
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said, “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.”
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said, “We have always said that fans are the lifeblood of the game, so it’s brilliant that so many will get a chance to see the tournament finale. We hope that this programme lays the foundation for the safe return of fans in stadiums all across the country next season.”