FA Cup final on August 1 could be played in front of 20,000 fans at Wembley

rangeral

rangeral

Well-Known Member
The FA could lead the way with fans returning to football – in the Cup Final on August 1.

It is believed plans are being explored to allow a maximum of up to 10,000 fans from each side to support their team in the showpiece final at Wembley. But only IF the coronavirus infection rate has dipped below 0.5 when the game comes around.

If the health advice allows, Wembley’s 90,000 capacity would be the perfect stadium in which to trial a return to action in front of a limited number of fans. Senior stadium officials believe the space available at Wembley would enable them to control the flow of supporters in and out of the stadium.

With lockdown rules beginning to ease, it’s believed in two months’ time the UK’s situation may be different.

Keeping fans away from the remainder of the Premier League season is seen as a no-brainer, with health officials worried about a second coronavirus spike. But football authorities believe they could be given the go-ahead to admit fans back into some stadiums in a phased experiment by the time the new season starts sometime in September.

A football administrator said: “Fans will be allowed back to see sport at some stage – not just in football.

“We already know there’s no chance of grounds opening up and being filled to capacity. But discussions have taken place about a phased return of spectators when Government health advice allows.

“That will be in smaller, manageable numbers at first and Wembley would seem a good place to start as it’s the country’s biggest stadium.”
 
That will look weird with 20,000 fans in the stadium and all having to be spaced apart.
 
Last edited:
Bringing fans back in Russia (10% of capacity) and Italy also as well looking to do similar, I think 20% has been quoted there.

Have to hope this is a short term measure on the way back to relative normality and packed houses. Rangers more than most rely on matchday income given our paltry TV pickings in the backwater of the SPFL.

Whilst I am firmly in the lockdowns and social distancing were only ever a short term fix and simply won’t work with how humanity and society functions camp, will be an interesting few weeks and months ahead this summer in terms of how borders opening up again and travel as well as gatherings of people affect the numbers and possibility of triggering the same hysteria and panic again resulting in lockdowns happening.

End of the day the virus isn’t going away. There will need to be health passports of some sort in being able to attend events or travel I think if there are spikes caused by the opening up and easing of restrictions.
 
The FA Cup being completed but so is the league season.
In Scotland the cup is to be played but the league was called.

Have any other countries who ended the league said they will still play their national cup?
 
More like 10,000 fans total if we are down to a spacing of one seat all round (one occupant consumes 9 seats with that spacing). Even that is a dramatic reduction in social distancing - more like 0.5m than 2.0m.
 
DoubleWhopper said:
It seems like an absurd suggestion. People are going to wander over to talk to others, rush together celebrating etc
Click to expand...
There has to be some kind of staggered return to normality. Think there would be people moaning also if it goes from zero to full capacity overnight.
 
DoubleWhopper said:
It seems like an absurd suggestion. People are going to wander over to talk to others, rush together celebrating etc
Click to expand...

It’s going to be the exact same for the likes of cinemas when they reopen sooner rather than later - of course there are practical issues to solve especially around entrance and exit but the alternative to allowing even partial capacity is all of these places going bust as they can’t get customers in the door.
 
Tpol_rfc said:
There has to be some kind of staggered return to normality. Think there would be people moaning also if it goes from zero to full capacity overnight.
Click to expand...

We’re seeing a staggered return to normality. When it comes to essential things like retail etc. But having a sporting event with 10,000 people in an 80,000 stadium ? The logistics of making it ‘work’ alone are surely more hassle than it’s worth
 
Reading a few headlines over the past couple of days it’s like the ministers are desperate!! For the covid numbers to jump. Don’t understand it personally :rolleyes:
 
jaws73 said:
More like 10,000 fans total if we are down to a spacing of one seat all round (one occupant consumes 9 seats with that spacing). Even that is a dramatic reduction in social distancing - more like 0.5m than 2.0m.
Click to expand...
Family members from the same household could sit together, that would significantly increase the total allowed.
 
Theres a big drop in deaths etc i can see us back in Ibrox end of year or very start next just my guess.
 
dh1963 said:
The FA Cup being completed but so is the league season.
In Scotland the cup is to be played but the league was called.

Have any other countries who ended the league said they will still play their national cup?
Click to expand...

Scotland appears to be the only footballing nation in the world that has prioritised a domestic cup competition over the league.

Yet no-one will ask the obvious question as to why that is.
 
rangeral said:
The FA could lead the way with fans returning to football – in the Cup Final on August 1.

It is believed plans are being explored to allow a maximum of up to 10,000 fans from each side to support their team in the showpiece final at Wembley. But only IF the coronavirus infection rate has dipped below 0.5 when the game comes around.

If the health advice allows, Wembley’s 90,000 capacity would be the perfect stadium in which to trial a return to action in front of a limited number of fans. Senior stadium officials believe the space available at Wembley would enable them to control the flow of supporters in and out of the stadium.

With lockdown rules beginning to ease, it’s believed in two months’ time the UK’s situation may be different.

Keeping fans away from the remainder of the Premier League season is seen as a no-brainer, with health officials worried about a second coronavirus spike. But football authorities believe they could be given the go-ahead to admit fans back into some stadiums in a phased experiment by the time the new season starts sometime in September.

A football administrator said: “Fans will be allowed back to see sport at some stage – not just in football.

“We already know there’s no chance of grounds opening up and being filled to capacity. But discussions have taken place about a phased return of spectators when Government health advice allows.

“That will be in smaller, manageable numbers at first and Wembley would seem a good place to start as it’s the country’s biggest stadium.”
Click to expand...

What a load of shit. Make sure the country is safe first before trying to win some favour by allowing some fans into a match as a way of showing that perhaps things are improving. The majority of scientists are of the opinion that we are coming out of lockdown far too soon and a 2nd spike is becoming ineviatable.
 
jaws73 said:
Would increase it a bit but significantly? Not so sure about that.
Click to expand...
Family of 4 sit in a square using 4 seats from 16, with 12 empty around them. Same empty spacing as your 1 occupant in 9. From 1/9th to a quarter is well over double, so a significant increase. Your 10k becomes 22.5k.

I realise you would never be able to max it, but family groups of 2, 3 or more would help hugely. But your point re social distancing being massively reduced will still be a big factor.
 
dh1963 said:
The FA Cup being completed but so is the league season.
In Scotland the cup is to be played but the league was called.

Have any other countries who ended the league said they will still play their national cup?
Click to expand...
How many countries have the governing bodies controlled by one club?
 
EndOfDays said:
Great news, that's only 5 weeks away.

Should be full houses before the end of the year.
Click to expand...

There will be.

If not, I wouldn't be surprised come the first game in Jan they allow full crowds back

This thing is going away just as quick as it came - a lot of what the UK are doing now is overkill, but it's fine just now - better safe than sorry. (and Nippy needs to grow a pair and catch up with England)
 
Last edited:
The Hungarian cup final is next Wednesday and they are doing something similar. I believe they will let 6,000 in to the Puskas Arena (capacity 67,000)
 
garytcrsc said:
The Hungarian cup final is next Wednesday and they are doing something similar. I believe they will let 6,000 in to the Puskas Arena (capacity 67,000)
Click to expand...

That's the sort of ratio that reflects the reality surrounding this virus..
 
jaws73 said:
That's the sort of ratio that reflects the reality surrounding this virus..
Click to expand...

It will be interesting to see how far apart the fans stay away from each other.

Edit. To answer my own question, Honved are playing a league game right now and they have allowed some fans in. Most of them have bunched up together. What's the point in letting them in or limiting how many they do let in?
 
Last edited:
I just watched the Hungarian final. There are 3 tiers in the stadium. The bottom 2 had fans. Quite a few kept to social distancing rules but most (the ultras?) bunched up behind the goals.
 
Amazes me how many talk about this distancing stuff still without a hint of skepticism. Anybody see London today? Other countries will lead the way and eventually we’ll pluck up the courage to be less than 2 metres from somebody
 
I think fans will be back in the stadium sooner than we all think. IMO if the current trajectory of death and infection rates continues, I think October 2020.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top