DSC Arminia Bielefeld's home ground, the SchücoArena, on a Bundesliga 2 matchday. (© CPD Football)
The DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga is currently in talks with the German Federal Ministry of Health to discuss the requirements and conditions that would allow spectators to return to Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 stadiums.
In these talks, the Ministry has stated that systematic compliance with the highest standards of infection protection is a fundamental requirement for allowing live crowds to attend football matches again. The key factor in (partially) allowing fans back in will therefore be the clubs’ own concepts, which would have to be approved by the local health authorities. These concepts would have to take into account the individual circumstances of each club, such as the stadium’s infrastructure and inbound/outbound travel routes, as well as the respective ordinances and possibly the local epidemiological conditions.
In order to assist clubs in creating concepts for their individual locations, following further discussion with the Ministry, the DFL will continue to devise a guideline for the basic structure of local concepts and release this to the clubs. An Extraordinary Members Assemblyof the DFL will be convened in good time before the start of the season to discuss whether there will be a uniform procedure for all Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs on certain points, such as ticket contingents for visiting clubs.
The local concepts for a possible return to stadiums by fans notwithstanding, the DFL will again produce medical and organisational guidelines for occupational health and safety for all aspects of match operations and training, as well as the accompanying media production for the coming season, based on the existing concept by the “Sports Medicine/Special Match Operations Task Force”.
(DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga)