PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are hoping to welcome fans back to grounds as early as September – with a phased return “likely to begin this year”.
The rest of the 2019-20 season is certain to be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But bosses appear to be aiming to have fans in grounds from the beginning of next season, according to The Mirror.
Clubs have already agreed in principle to kick off on the weekend of September 12-13.
And while it’s unlikely stadiums will be full, a certain percentage of the ground could be used to allow fans in while still observing social distancing rules.
At present, only 300 people – including players, match officials and broadcasters – are allowed into grounds, but absolutely no supporters.
Officials at all 20 clubs are said to be “increasingly confident” of getting fans back into their stadiums next season.
However, the return of fans to grounds was not mentioned during Thursday’s big meeting.
Last week, Premier League chief Richard Masters said: “No one knows when matches will move away from the behind-closed-doors model.
“Obviously, it’s right to have contingency plans in place, but there is optimism at the Premier League and at clubs that we will start to see fans back in the stadiums next season, and it may happen on a phased basis.”
It is a huge boost for fans, after the Government initially warned fans may be blocked from attending live games for the entire 2020-21 season or until a coronavirus vaccine was introduced.
Spain are amongst the European nations to already discuss bringing fans back.
But with the UK hit harder than any other country on the continent, no concrete timescale has yet been brought up in meetings.
The Premier League is set to return on June 17, with Tottenham vs Manchester United set to be part of a Friday night double-header to mark the first full weekend.
The fixture list for the open three rounds of games is set to be confirmed by league chiefs today – with the rest of the fixtures will be announced at a later date.
A leak of the provisional set of fixtures, including the four FA Cup quarter-finals, shows Sky will screen the first FOUR matches after the June 17 restart – with a total of 36 games broadcast in the space of just 16 days.
