Some 12,000 spectators will be able to attend the four Eurocup matches that will be played at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam as long as they present a negative test for covid-19, Dutch authorities reported on Wednesday.
That number of followers means reaching almost 22% of the capacity of the sports venue, three points less than suggested by UEFA, although it could be corrected up or down depending on the epidemiological situation in the Netherlands in June.
The Johan Cruyff Arena is scheduled to host three Group C matches (the Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia), between June 13 and 22, and a round of 16 match on June 26.
The Royal Netherlands Football Federation said in a statement that it expects the allowed number of fans “eventually to increase”, although it explained that a “stop button” has been established in case infections are triggered.
Hope the situation improves
“The coronavirus is unpredictable and there are no guarantees. However, we are hopeful that the situation in June has improved to such an extent that more spectators can attend,” said Gijs, the head of the Netherlands federation in charge of Eurocup matches. de Jong.
Acting Sports Minister Tamara van Ark explained that the Government is studying how to ensure the presence of fans “in a safe and responsible way”, and defended the pilot tests carried out so far, including the Netherlands-Latvia of the past March 27, attended by 5,000 people.
Today's announcement is in line with yesterday's announcement by the Executive, which will allow Eredivisie clubs to receive between 2,000 and 7,500 spectators in their stadiums for matchday 30, which will be played between April 23 and 25.