The team spirit of the football game is absolute and undeniable. It takes a lot of organisation and coordination between a team of eleven players, coaches, and trainers to compete at the highest level.
However, an often overlooked aspect of the sport is the energy and atmosphere that the fans bring to each game.
Professional footballers have often mentioned how vital and essential it is to them when they back them up week in, week out.
It is also common to see players try to engage the fans during a game through gesticulations or goal celebrations.
If there was ever a time where the football world felt the importance of fans at a game, it was during their absence.
When football leagues were initially suspended per government health regulations, everyone clamoured for the league’s return, even if it meant no spectators would be allowed.
Upon the return of domestic leagues across Europe, it was evident that something was amiss.
The energetic singing, drumming, and chanting of fans was gone, replaced by empty stadium seats and trampolines.
This prompted several clubs to introduce pre-recorded fan videos and audios into game time.
The impact of the fans’ absence and the now empty seats reflected in player performances and club financial books, as matchday revenues were significantly affected.
Soccer teams introduced wage cuts and reduced staff to keep the business afloat in an economy strangled by covid.
Nonetheless, the beautiful game went on, and fans had their say on social media and fan TVs while local fans backed their teams on zimbabwe betting sites.
However, the situation is brightening up as the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister recently gave the green light for football fans to return to match venues.
This announcement has been in the works for some time as the government conducted feasibility studies before making its announcement.
One such study was April’s Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, which had 8,000 fans in attendance.
This test was one of the many controlled regulations through which the government sought to find out the readiness of Premier League clubs to welcome fans back into the arena.
Fans are no doubt delighted, and we will be looking at the announcement in detail below.
When Will Fans Return Match Venues?
Per the announcements made by Boris Johnson, PremierLeague fans will be able to return to the stands from May 17.
Fans will be allowed into the stadiums for the last two game weeks of the season.
This allows each of the Premier League’s twenty teams to host a home game with fans in attendance ahead of next season.
It will also enable the health regulators and Football Association to gauge the readiness of Premier League teams for the return of the spectators.
This has also been worked into the features as each team has a home fixture in either Gameweek 37 or 38.
Will Full Stadium Capacities Be Utilised?
No, they will not. For now, only 10,000 fans or twenty-five per cent of full stadium capacities are to be utilised.
“I can confirm today we have met the four tests for further easing lockdown restrictions. We’ll unlock the turnstiles to our sports stadia, subject to capacity limits,” said the Prime Minister.
The rule is to allow whichever is fewer of both calculations. Furthermore, only home fans are allowed into match venues to prevent fans from travelling in large numbers.
Some clubs like Burnley and Fulham have already stated their readiness to use the twenty-five per cent rule, confirming the presence of no more than 3,500 and 2,000 fans respectively at their final home games of the season.
When Will Away Fans Be Allowed To Return?
It remains uncertain when the government will give the go-ahead for the return of away fans to match venues.
However, the Premier League board has stated its readiness to host the return of both home and away fans by the beginning of the next footballing season.
“It will be brilliant to see fans back. They have been hugely missed and the Premier League has not been the same without them. Their presence will ensure a fantastic finale to the end of the season. Although only a small number of home fans will be at the matches next week, this is an important step in our return to normality,” Kate Richardson, betting expert.
The timeline for the return of away fans to the stands still rests in the hands of the government.
Currently, the UK is in stage three of its lockdown ease roadmap, and premier league fans will have to wait until the coast is clear before making their return to normalcy.
In a related development, the government will allow 21,000 fans to watch the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Leicester City at Wembley on May 15.
This is a much larger crowd from the 8,000 fans who watched the Carabao Cup final between Tottenham and Man City back in April.
The English Premier League is one of the most-watched and wagered football competitions in Zimbabwe, and punters will gladly have fans back in stadiums.
Grounds like Anfield haven’t been the same without the fans spurring teams onto victory, and punters can now relax with their accumulators.
SEE ALSO | Top 5 Football Clubs With The Most Fans In Nigeria
Ahead of these changes to EPL games, punters can read and familiarise themselves with Zimbabwe betting sites through Mightytips’ reviews.
This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago