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Wembley could be full for Euro 2020 following successful UK trial events

Euro 2020 games at Wembley could play out in front of full stands following a series of successfu...



Wembley could be full for Euro...
Soccer

Wembley could be full for Euro 2020 following successful UK trial events

Euro 2020 games at Wembley could play out in front of full stands following a series of successful events trialling the return of crowds in the UK.

Of the 58,000 people that took part in various events over the past few weeks, only 15 tested positive for COVID-19 afterwards.

Wembley is scheduled to host all three of England's Group D games, a last-16 contest, both semi-finals and the final of this summer's European Championships.

At least 22,500 (25 per cent capacity) will be inside the ground for England's meetings with both Croatia (June 13) and Scotland (June 18).

For their final group game with the Czech Republic (June 22), that capacity limit could be eased considerably.

"I hope by June 21 we will be lighting up the West End again, having full stadiums and bringing light and Technicolor back into our national life again," UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told The Standard.

Irish sports fans can only look on with envy, as trial events similar to those seen across the Irish Sea in recent weeks are only likely to begin in late June or July.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht Sport and Media Catherine Martin told Newstalk recently, "I know July was said at one stage [for test events], but I would be keen - if possible - to turn this around in June because I'm anxious from my engagement with the stakeholders - they need this as soon as possible, as soon as it's safe to do so.

"I as Minister, I'm aiming to get some of these pilot events done by June."

In April, Leinster Rugby had applied to hold test events at the RDS in front of 2,000 spectators, but the proposal was knocked back by the government with Minister Martin saying they "weren't in a position to do it, at that time".

10 per cent of the Irish population (515,00 approx.) is now fully vaccinated against coronavirus, while a total of 1.92m first doses have been administered.

They've been in talks with Festival Republic who ran the 5,900-capacity festival at Liverpool's Sefton Park, which resulted in only 2 positive cases.

The 17 days of the World Snooker Championship - held indoors at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre - produced four cases.

"There’s two questions, Dowden said, "Can we go ahead with stage four on June 21? I hope I hope we can.

"We’re definitely not ruling it out. Then the second question is the ‘how’ and this is about the sort of mitigations that you might have to have in place.”

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Euro 2020 European Championships Oliver Dowden UEFA Wembley