Uefa wait on decision over possibility of crowds at U21 European Championship
Uefa will make a late decision on fans being allowed to watch the Under-21 European Championship in two months’ time.
Europe’s governing body is monitoring the Covid-19 rates in Hungary and Slovenia before deciding whether to play behind closed doors. England are planning to be based in Ljubljana and also have a game in Koper.
The venues for the matches between March 25 and 31 were announced last week but there was no announcement on tickets for the first Uefa tournament of the year which begins less than three months before the delayed senior European Championship, which is meant to be staged across 12 host cities but could change in format because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Uefa is monitoring the situation in the two [under-21] host countries closely, and will make a decision on whether spectators can be allowed together with the host associations and the relevant authorities nearer the time of the tournament,” said a Uefa spokesperson.
England Under-21s manager Aidy Boothroyd is poised to take the likes of Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi to the tournament, while Mason Greenwood is among the eligible players who will come under consideration.
England face Croatia, Portugal and Switzerland in March’s group stage and the knockout rounds are to be hosted at the end of the season. Having fans watching the games will now depend on whether it is deemed safe by Uefa.
