14,000 Fans Allowed for Euro Matches in Munich's Allianz Arena

This aerial photo shows the illuminated Allianz Arena during the UEFA Champions League. (AFP)
This aerial photo shows the illuminated Allianz Arena during the UEFA Champions League. (AFP)
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14,000 Fans Allowed for Euro Matches in Munich's Allianz Arena

This aerial photo shows the illuminated Allianz Arena during the UEFA Champions League. (AFP)
This aerial photo shows the illuminated Allianz Arena during the UEFA Champions League. (AFP)

Some 14,000 fans will be allowed to attend Euro 2020 matches in Munich's Allianz Arena this month if infection rates in Bavaria remain as low as at the moment, Bavarian State Premier Markus Soeder said on Friday.

"We believe it is possible to have up to 20%, about 14,000 (in the stadium)," Soeder told a news conference. "The Euro is a special situation."

"We looked at it carefully. This could be a pilot and test for other professional sports. It is an outstanding test."

Germany had not provided guarantees for a minimum number of fans, as requested by European football’s governing body UEFA, when the city was confirmed as a Euro host.

The Allianz Arena is due to host Germany's three Group F matches against world champions France on June 15, holders Portugal four days later and Hungary on June 23.

The stadium will also host one quarter-final match.

Euro 2020 was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will run from June 11-July 11, played out in 11 host cities across the continent.

COVID-19 cases have been dropping in Germany in recent weeks. On Friday officials announced 3,165 confirmed cases nationwide.



Too Many Games - Pique Joins Chorus of Discontent at Fixture List

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Osasuna v FC Barcelona - El Sadar Stadium, Pamplona, Spain - November 8, 2022 FC Barcelona's Gerard Pique during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Osasuna v FC Barcelona - El Sadar Stadium, Pamplona, Spain - November 8, 2022 FC Barcelona's Gerard Pique during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo
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Too Many Games - Pique Joins Chorus of Discontent at Fixture List

Soccer Football - LaLiga - Osasuna v FC Barcelona - El Sadar Stadium, Pamplona, Spain - November 8, 2022 FC Barcelona's Gerard Pique during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Osasuna v FC Barcelona - El Sadar Stadium, Pamplona, Spain - November 8, 2022 FC Barcelona's Gerard Pique during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Vincent West/File Photo

Football's governing bodies should not introduce new competitions and top-flight leagues should reduce the number of teams they have to ease the fixture burden on players, former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique said on Wednesday.

Pique's comments came in the same week FIFPRO Europe, the European Leagues association and Spain's LaLiga filed a joint complaint about FIFA's international match schedule to European Union antitrust regulators, according to Reuters.

FIFA has introduced a new Club World Cup featuring 32 teams from next year and has enlarged the World Cup to 48 teams from 2026. UEFA also increased the number of matchdays in the Champions League from this season and introduced the Nations League in 2018.

Pique said it was the responsibility of all football organisations to find a solution.

"There are too many games, and we are seeing now players saying 'listen, we are getting injured. There are games every three days, we don't have time to rest in summer'," the 37-year-old told The Summit, part of Leaders Week London.

"I would suggest to reduce the games," he added when asked what he would do if he were in charge of global football. "Go to the leagues and say, 'listen, instead of 20 teams, why you don't do leagues of 16 teams...

"And at the same time, I would go to UEFA and say, 'why you create this Nations League, which is the new competition that is difficult to follow' and I will go to FIFA and say, 'okay, don't do this FIFA World Cup of clubs that you created now'...

"I understand that they want to generate more revenues, but for the sake of football, I think that it could be much better to have less games, more premium and more exclusive (experiences) and it will be much easier also to follow from the audience point of view, and for players it will be less games."

Pique, who retired in 2022, won nine LaLiga titles and three Champions League crowns at Barcelona and now owns a seven-a-side football-gaming-entertainment venture.