UEFA to allow fans attend Super Cup in Budapest

Fans will be allowed to attend the UEFA Super Cup match between Bayern Munich and Sevilla in Budapest on Sept. 24, European football’s governing body said on Tuesday.

All games in the recent UEFA Champions League and Europa League final stage mini-tournaments have been played behind closed doors.

UEFA’s executive committee ruled that up to 30 per cent of the 67,215 capacity Puskas Arena in the Hungarian capital can be taken up by fans.

However, UEFA said that all other UEFA matches, including the upcoming Nations League matches and club competition qualifiers, will be played behind closed doors until further notice.

The Budapest match is being viewed by UEFA as a test for their ‘Return to Play’ plans.

It has not yet been decided whether only local fans or travelling supporters would also be allowed to attend the match.

“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.

“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,” said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

“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,” he added.

The Super Cup is seen as Europe’s international club season-opener, featuring the previous season’s Champions League winners against the Europa League winners.