DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, the governing body for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, has released a guideline to assist clubs with the possible return of fans to matches.
The DFL said that the guideline provides a basic structure of what must be taken into account in the process for allowing crowds at matches once again.
Clubs must develop concepts about the prevention of infections, such as how they will calculate spectator capacity for their respective stadiums. These concepts must be approved by the local health authority of each club.
The DFL believes that major events may be allowed to occur from September 2020, with contract tracing and hygiene practices in place.
If there is more than 35 new cases of COVID-19 a week per 100,000 people in the local area of a club, spectators would not be allowed to attend. If there is less than five new cases, then clubs would be able to work with local health authorities to have fans attend the match.
The DFL is working on defining the conditions about whether fans could attend if the new cases range between five and 35.
“The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 has [affected] the global economy, social life and entire states,” the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga said in the release.
“Even … with the resumption of gaming operations, media revenues are the most important source of income [that] could be secured, there is broad agreement that footballs lives strongly from the emotions and the spectators in the stadium and without a stadium audience appears very reduced.
“The Bundesliga, with an average of more than 42,000 sold tickets per game (season 2018/2019) [is] the world’s leading football league in terms of appreciation from the audience [and] owes its international recognition to the committed audience.”
The German Federal Ministry of Health said that in order for fans to be allowed to return, there must be systemic compliance to the highest standards of infection protection.
An Extraordinary Members Assembly will be held before the 2020-2021 season starts to discuss the details of whether crowds will be attending matches.
The Bundesliga restarted on May 16 without crowds in attendance.
