UEFA gives nod to partial fan return for Super Cup

UEFA announced Tuesday that they 30 percent of stadium capacity would be filled at the Super Cup in Budapest where Champions League winners Bayern Munich face Europa League victors Sevilla.

The game is scheduled for September 24 and will become the first international match to be played before a crowd, the coronavirus pandemic having forced games behind closed doors.

“While it has been important to show that football can carry on in difficult times, without fans, the game has lost something of its character,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

“We hope to use the UEFA Super Cup in Budapest as a pilot that will begin to see the return of fans to our matches.”

Ceferin added: “We are working closely with the Hungarian federation and its government to implement measures to ensure the health of all those attending and participating in the game.

“We will not take risks with people’s safety.”

After a meeting of its executive committee, UEFA said that “all other UEFA matches shall continue to be played behind closed doors until further notice”, as initially decided July 9.