France allows up to 5,000 fans in stadiums

Paris Saint-Germain's supporters hold a banner reading "Neymar, buzz off!" prior to the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Nimes Olympique on August 11, 2019 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. [Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP]

Up to 5,000 spectators will be allowed to attend sports events in stadiums in France when they re-open on July 11, the French government announced on Saturday.

The limit applies to “big events, stadiums and concert halls”, the government said, but it may be raised later in the summer.

“A review of the national epidemiological situation will be carried out in mid-July to decide if it is possible to relax (the rules) in the second half of August,” it added in a statement.

Although football’s Ligue 1 and 2 and rugby’s Top 14 league decided to end their seasons in April after they were halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, the government’s decision means a crowd should be able to attend football’s French Cup and League Cup finals.

A date has not been sent for either match but they are expected to be played at the end of July.

More than 29,600 people have died from virus-related conditions in France, but hospital admissions are constantly falling and the national lockdown was lifted in May.