Football fans could return to stadiums for start of next season, says culture secretary

Football fans could be back watching their teams in stadiums at the start of next season, the culture secretary has said.

Oliver Dowden said there had been “productive discussions” over plans for supporters to begin attending games again, as the Premier League returned on Wednesday with matches behind closed doors.

He told the daily coronavirus briefing: “I would really hope that by the return of the new season, we might be in a position whereby some fans could start to return to stadiums.

“I know that would be another important part of restoring the financial positions of clubs.”

Aston Villa took on Sheffield United in an empty Villa Park on Wednesday evening as top-flight football resumed following a three-month hiatus due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Manchester City were also hosting Arsenal on Wednesday night, with all the remaining 92 Premier League matches of the current season taking place behind closed doors.

Matches in the Championship and League One are due to return on Saturday.

The start date of the 2020-21 season has not been confirmed but it is reportedly being lined up for September, as opposed to the usual August start time.

August has instead been ear-marked for the finale of the 2019-20 Champions League campaign, which UEFA announced earlier will conclude with an eight-team mini tournament in Lisbon.

Mr Dowden indicated that fans could return to stadiums before audiences would be allowed back into theatres.

He said: “I understand the need for all of these venues to return with people in them and, indeed, eventually without social distancing.

“But that can only be done if the public health allows it to happen.

“I think you see different scenarios – in relation to stadiums where people are outside and they are much bigger and there is more scope for social distancing, it may be that you could do that sooner.

“I know particularly with the performing arts and theatres, when you are doing that in a confined space there are greater risks there.”

The culture secretary also warned football fans against crowding outside stadiums while matches are going on during the current lockdown restrictions.

“Police have appropriate powers and they will be able to use them as necessary,” he added.

“There is nothing to be gained from congregating outside a stadium.

“The only thing that can happen if you congregate outside a stadium is to put at risk public health.”

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Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has said football would not be “back with a capital B” until fans are able to return and says clubs have expressed a willingness to be “guinea pigs” in any experimentation around phased reopenings.

At the match at Villa Park on Wednesday, all 22 players on the pitch and the referee “took a knee” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

(c) Sky News 2020: Football fans could return to stadiums for start of next season, says culture secretary