Stadiums in Serie A, the top tier of Italian club football, have been cleared to open at 75% capacity after COVID-19 restrictions were eased in the country.
The current cap on fan attendance in Italy is 50% for outdoor venues but new guidelines have now been introduced. The limits for indoor attendance will also rise from 35% to 60%.
The news comes after the Italian Government announced last month that it was working on a plan to return sports venues to full capacity for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Unlike other nations, Italy has not returned to full capacity since March 2020. Stadiums were only able to welcome a maximum of 5,000 fans from January 15 to February 5 after clubs voted to introduce tougher measures to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Since then, outdoor sports venues have been operating at 50% capacity and plans are now in place for this to increase further. It is hoped that venues may be able to return to full capacity by the end of March.
Fans attending Serie A matches will still be required to hold a Super Green Pass, which provides proof of vaccination or recovery from a recent case of COVID-19. Masks will also remain a requirement while inside the stadium.
Last week, officials in Germany announced a pathway towards the end of COVID-19 restrictions on March 20, when Bundesliga football stadiums and other venues and arenas could once again be full. It would mark the first time in two years that German stadiums have been full.
Earlier in the week, sports venues in Spain were cleared to open at full capacity from March 4.
Image: Liam McKay on Unsplash
