Limited crowds will be allowed back into football grounds and other live sporting events in some areas of England, it has been announced today.
The country is to move back into a three-tiered local lockdown system when the current national lockdown ends on December 2 the Prime Minister has announced.
And from that date crowds will be allowed back into Covid-safe sporting events held in areas placed in Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the Covid Alert level system it has now been confirmed.
"In Tiers 1 and 2, spectator sport and business events can now resume inside and outside with tight capacity limits and social distancing, providing more consistency with indoor performances in theatres and concert halls" the government's Covid-19 Winter Plan published this afternoon says.
A maximum crowd of either half of a stadium's capacity, or up to 4,000 spectators whichever number is smaller, will be permitted for events held in areas in Tier 1.
Events held in Tier 2 will be allowed a crowd of up to 50 percent of the stadium's capacity, or up 2,000 spectators, whichever number is smaller.
Indoor sporting events in both Tiers 1 and 2 will be allowed to admit up to half their capacity, or 1,000 spectators whichever is smallest.
However crowds, both indoor and outdoor, will remain prohibited for events held in Tier 3 areas.
Greater Manchester was placed into tier 3 on October 23 and remained in that tier when the national lockdown was introduced on November 5.
The tiers that individual areas will be placed into are set to be announced on Thursday.
However if Greater Manchester were to remain in Tier 3 that could see fans continue to be shut out of the Etihad Stadium, Old Trafford and other the other league grounds across the region.
Aside from a handful of test events, all elite sport has been played behind closed doors since the onset of the pandemic.
The last time fans were allowed into an elite football game in England was a friendly between Brighton and Chelsea in August which served as a test event.
Organised amateur sports, including 11-a-side football can take place outdoors as before, even in tier 3, however "people should avoid higher-risk contact activity" the government say.
Gyms and leisure centres will be permitted to re-open.
However in the very highest tier indoor group exercise (including sports) will be restricted to people from the same household or bubble and classes will not take place.
