Football fans could return in October and Twickenham crowds quadruple

Football authorities are increasingly confident that some fans will be allowed back into stadiums by October. It comes as the Rugby Football Union claimed that the reduction in social distancing rules to one metre would increase the potential capacity at Twickenham for the autumn Tests from 9,000 to 35,000. Fans being allowed into any sports events will still depend upon the Government relaxing its rules on the numbers permitted to meet, or special dispensation being given, and this issue was discussed at a recent meeting of the governing bodies with the sports minister, Nigel Huddleston, and Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy medical officer for England, which set out the conditions for fans to return under “stage five” of sports protocols. The Premier League has now set up a club advisory group with one senior source suggesting there has “definitely been a sea change in government opinion” in the past fortnight as to when fans will be allowed back in, which has led to far greater optimism. Factors for all sports include concerns from Public Health England that there will be an increase in journeys around the country, while the issue of how to manage fans safely arriving and leaving stadiums, and whether they need to wear face masks, will be a worry.