Euro 2020: there could be full house matches in Budapest

The European Football Association (UEFA) has promised to provide information on Friday on the summer European Championship venues and stadium capacities. As we wrote, the twelve hosts (including Budapest) had until Wednesday to indicate their ideas for letting in spectators.

"The directive of the Hungarian Football Federation is known to everyone," Jenő Sipos, spokesman for the MLSZ, told Nemzeti Sport on Thursday. “If the epidemiological regulations permit it, we want as many fans as possible to watch the matches in the Puskas Aréna, in compliance with the safety orders. As far as the European Championship and Hungary's reopening are concerned, these are two separate things, so let's not combine them! What we are talking about is a proposal for a summer event. At the request of the organizer, the UEFA, we have formulated and laid down conditions for the European Championship which starts in Budapest in the second half of June. We would have said the same thing weeks ago when the reopening was not even on the table, and we would probably say that in two weeks' time too if the UEFA had set a deadline for feedback by this time. Football is often the focus of interest in surprising situations as well, and we are used to that. It is now the responsibility of the MLSZ, two months before the event, to plan and try to create a transparent situation for ticket buyers and fans. More details will be provided next week."

Depending on the evolution of the pandemic, the recommended number of spectators sent by the MLSZ to the UEFA may be changed (increased) by the domestic federation by April 28, after which it will no longer be able to do so due to the ticketing system.

In response to our portal's question, the MLSZ indicated that a more detailed information on the issues raised – such as the participation of minors, the arrival of foreign fans, etc. – is expected next week. Until the UEFA's official announcement on Friday, the MLSZ will not provide any specific information on the possible capacity of the Puskas Aréna, but Nemzeti Sport wondered whether the directive mentioned by the federation could mean a full house in the arena in Budapest.

"It means as many fans as possible at the time," added Jenő Sipos.

Regarding the European Championship matches, Gergely Gulyás, Minister of the PrimeMinister'sOffice, announced in March that it was planned that only fans who had been vaccinated for the coronavirus would be able to attend the matches in the Puskás Aréna.

According to the original schedule, there will be three group matches (two of which the Hungarian national team will play) and one eighth final.

Translated by Vanda Orosz