Voice of London

The UK government announced on Wednesday that up to 4,000 fans will be allowed to return to sports venues in England once the second national lockdown ends on 2 December.

Following the new regional tier system in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the capacity will depend on the tier in which the stadium is situated. Outdoor stadiums in Tier 1 areas will be able to admit 4,000 fans or half the venue capacity (whichever is lower.). Crowd capacity will be lowered to 2,000 in Tier 2 areas, while Tier 3 areas will remain without in-stadium fans.

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London will be placed in to Tier 2, a government website announced on Thursday, meaning that up to 2,000 fans will be allowed into the city’s stadiums.

Capacity allowances must also be signed off by the sports clubs themselves, with worries that the small capacity crowds remain economically unviable. Even if clubs were able to permit the Tier 1 maximum 4,000 fans, fears have been raised that it would result in a financial loss for some teams.

Concerns over the behaviour of fans in attendance has led to speculation that the government will ban singing, shouting and alcohol consumption, all though this has yet to be confirmed.

We’ve created an interactive map to show you your local professional rugby and football grounds within the M25 so that you might find your way to a very sought-after seat watching some live sport. Click on the pins to see capacity information and a link to websites where you’ll hopefully get those precious tickets.

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1fJn20WYLhdd1iHn2-iQ9UZI0CoTimGl9&w=640&h=480]

Words: William Murray | Subbing: Connor O’Halloran