The Chief Executive of the English Premier League, Richard Masters, has set a date to receive fans again in English stadiums, and confirmed that club losses may reach more than two billion dollars due to the Corona pandemic.
Last month, the British government set a 4-stage reduction in the restrictions imposed in the country due to Corona.
Within the framework of the third phase, very large stadiums - if all conditions are met - will be able to receive up to 10,000 spectators, or 25% of the stadium’s capacity.
"We hope that the last two rounds of this season will witness the attendance of up to 10,000 spectators in all matches. We have to go beyond those initial steps in the roadmap laid down by the government to reach the stage," the BBC quoted Masters as saying. The fans will return to the stadiums, so we hope this will be a great end to the season. "
The last two rounds of the season will take place on May 15 and 23.
And some stadiums in England received a limited number of fans for a short period last December, but the government imposed a new closure after another wave of Corona infections.
Masters said that the stoppage of the 2019-2020 season and the absence of fans due to the Corona crisis caused a heavy cost, and added, "Towards the end of this season, losses will reach about two billion pounds ($ 2.78 billion), and the clubs have continued to invest in their squad, but in the end the less money. The game and clubs will spend less in the short term. "
If the virus vaccination program in the United Kingdom goes according to the plan, Masters is optimistic about the return of football in Britain to normal next season.
"With the start of next season, our goal is to fully return the fans to the stadiums, and the road map drawn up by the government provides us with this opportunity," he explained.
Masters also said the players will continue to kneel on one knee until the end of the season as the "No Place for Racism" campaign continues to seek positive changes in football and society.