The German Football League (DFL) has revealed its latest guidelines with regards to fans coming back to stadiums next season in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.

During a virtual meeting between DFL and its 36 club representatives specific rules will be implemented by clubs regarding the return of fans for the 2020/21 season, however, these guidelines will be overseen by a partially-uniformed approach.

The club-specific concepts will need to be approved by local authorities to be implemented. The body has issued that no side is permitted to allow away fans at stadiums to reduce traveling for football matches.

A DFL spokesperson stated: “There is no question that fans travelling to away games represent an integral part of German football culture and one that should categorically be preserved. However, if spectators are allowed to return to stadiums during the relevant period, the professional clubs will not be selling tickets to fans of visiting teams for Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches until the end of the year.”

The match regulation which entitles away fans to have at least 10 per cent of the stadium capacity will also be amended whilst the effects of the global health pandemic are still going on. 

If local health authorities allow the club to host fans next season, which has been confirmed to start on September 18, then all Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 clubs have agreed not to open its standing area’s, highlighting that seated tickets are easier to implement social distancing rules. Nevertheless, the DFL and its clubs have highlighted that the measure will only be temporary and will not affect the future of standing areas in stadiums.

Alcohol will also not be allowed to be sold in the stadiums until October 31, as agreed by DFL’s clubs. Despite the german first and second division clubs being able to apply for permission to sell alcohol, the sides have opted against acquiring the license until late October. Guidelines

The final regulation agreed by the entities would be to ensure that should any infections occur at their matches, it will be possible to determine the identities and contact details of potentially and actually affected visitors to the stadiums. DFL has explained the reasoning for this is to mitigate the spread of the virus should infections be spotted whilst also helping the local health service in fighting against the coronavirus pandemic.

Germany’s top division was one of the first major European leagues to open its doors during the global health pandemic, supplying fans from around the world with behind-closed-doors football. The new regulations set by the German Football League also see’s the country take the next step in returning normality by slowly bringing the fans back to stadiums through the next campaign.

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