Wembley expected to host 60,000 fans at Euro 2020 final

UEFA are close to agreeing a deal with the UK government to keep the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium and increase the number of fans permitted to 60,000.

Wembley was at risk of being stripped of the semi-finals and final following the government's decision to delay the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions until later in July, with Budapest, Hungary lined up as a potential alternative.

Current rules mean anyone outside of a sports bubble must isolate for ten days upon arrival in the country, and just like with the Champions League final, UEFA are not happy with the idea of their VIPs and foreign media outlets needing to isolate for the game.

According to The Telegraph, the UK government is keen to avoid missing out on yet another showpiece final and are close to reaching a deal which would allow around 2,500 UEFA delegates and media representatives to bypass quarantine regulations for the game.

Talks with UEFA are so advanced that a formal announcement could come as early as Tuesday.

Despite a willingness to allow VIPs to bypass the rules, the government is expected to stand firm when it comes to supporters, meaning anyone travelling to Wembley from overseas will still be required to isolate.

There is a belief that the multicultural nature of the UK means there will almost certainly be relevant supporters for whichever teams make the final, so there is no need to risk relaxing the rules for up to 60,000 supporters.

However, UEFA are pushing to allow fans from overseas to attend and have proposed a 'testing and bubble concept' that would limit any visitor's time in the UK, similar to the procedure used for English fans at the Champions League final in Porto.

“At the moment, we are in discussions with the local authorities to try to allow fans of the participating teams to attend the matches, using a strict testing and bubble concept that would mean their stay in the UK would be less than 24 hours and their movements would be restricted to approved transport and venues only,” a UEFA statement read.

“We understand the pressures that the Government face and hope to be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion of our discussions on the matter. There is always a contingency plan but we are confident that the final week will be held in London.”

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