UEFA Super Cup: fans must comply with special measures to protect health

UEFA and the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) have called on fans attending Thursday’s UEFA Super Cup match in Budapest to act responsibly and comply with extraordinary measures introduced to protect everyone’s health.

With 15,500 tickets sold for the annual showdown between the winners of UEFA’s Champions League and Europa League competitions – Bayern München and Sevilla – match organisers will broadcast public announcements on giant screens and TV monitors, reminding fans to put safety first.

UEFA announced its decision to allow a reduced number of fans into the Puskás Aréna last month, limiting attendance to around a quarter of the stadium’s 60,000 capacity to ensure the maintenance of social distance regulations.

“We are working closely with the Hungarian Football Federation and its government to implement measures to ensure the health of all those attending and participating in the game,” said UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, “We will not take risks with people’s safety.”

Guidelines for spectators

Guidelines, detailed on posters placed around the Puskás Aréna and also distributed electronically to all ticket holders, require spectators to:

• maintain a social distance of 1.5 metres
• wear a face mask when social distancing cannot be respected, after passing the outer security perimeter, including inside the stadium
• stay in the specially marked queuing lanes at turnstiles, lifts, staircases, sanitary facilities and concessions
• comply with maximum occupancy indicators for confined space

Stewards to ensure respect for guidelines

Stewards will be deployed around the stadium to remind fans to respect the health guidelines.

Other precautions include obliging fans to stick to their ticket numbers to guarantee the correct social distance is maintained between seats, while frequently used touch points, such as door handles and handrails, will be regularly disinfected.

Thermal cameras installed at entrances will also scan fans’ body temperature, with medical staff on hand to perform second measurements in the event of any readings of 37.8C or above. Medical relief areas have been set up within the outer stadium perimeter, as well as first aid rooms on each level of the arena to help spectators who may show symptoms of the COVID-19 virus or who do not feel well.

UEFA pilot

The measures implemented for the Super Cup build on the successful experience of delivering UEFA’s men’s and women’s 2019/20 club finals behind closed doors last month.

Following the decision to allow limited numbers into Thursday’s match, the UEFA president said: “While it has been important to show that football can carry on in difficult times, without fans, the game has lost something of its character. We hope to use the Super Cup in Budapest as a pilot that will begin to see the return of fans to our matches.”