Away fans to be allowed in European matches from next week, according to leading football fan group, following pressure on UEFA to let visiting supporters attend opening round of Champions League fixtures
- UEFA are set to drop their blanket ban on away fans in Europe, say a fan group
- Football Supporters Europe (FSE) urged UEFA to cut down on their restrictions
- UEFA revealed in June that away fans were not allowed in European club ties
- FSE now claim the blanket ban is set to be dropped by UEFA from next week
Football fans will be permitted to attend away fixtures in Europe from next week, according to leading fan group Football Supporters Europe (FSE).
UEFA currently have a blanket ban on any away fans attending European club fixtures this season, including Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League fixtures.
Pressure has been growing on European football’s governing body to lift the ban, with Manchester United and Ajax urging UEFA to reconsider their stance last month with fans set to be shut out for the start of the Champions League season.
And FSE, who released their own statement in August urging UEFA to drop the restriction, have confirmed that visiting fans will now be allowed to attend matches in time for the first round of European club fixtures next week.
The group claim that local restrictions and travel requirements between countries could still damage fans’ chances of watching their team play away, but UEFA will remove any ban of their own regarding travelling supporters.
Travelling fans are set to be allowed to attend European matches from next week, according to a leading football fan group
The move could see Man United fans attend their first Champions League match next week
A statement on Twitter read: ‘FSE can confirm that away fans will be permitted to attend European club competitions matches from next week. Local restrictions & travel requirement might still apply.’
In June, the decision was taken by the UEFA Executive Committee to put a stop to away supporters being admitted into matches for the entirety of the qualifying and play-off phases for their three flagship tournaments.
Should UEFA confirm this change of stance, English fans could head on European away days as early as next week.
UEFA, led by president Aleksander Ceferin (right), put a blanket ban on all away fans last June
Manchester United visit Swiss side Young Boys next Tuesday, with Switzerland moved onto the United Kingdom’s green list last Monday.
Meanwhile, West Ham play their first ever Europa League group stage tie away at Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday. Croatia is also on the green list but the UK Government website claims it is on a watchlist about a potential move to the amber list.
The rule change would also see Manchester City and Chelsea face the prospect of welcoming visiting fans from abroad into their stadia for their European matches.
Pep Guardiola’s City host German side RB Leipzig in the middle of next week, with Chelsea hosting Zenit St Petersburg from Russia. Leicester City also have a European home match next week, with the Foxes playing Napoli at the King Power Stadium next Thursday.
West Ham fans could be in line to watch their team away in Europe next week in Croatia
Revealing the decision had been taken to ban away supporters, the UEFA Executive Committee said it was ‘prudent’ to propose that fans would not be allowed. They added that the ‘very high number of matches’ weighed in on the move.
‘With this decision UEFA intends to act responsibly at a time where restrictive measures are still in place in order to avoid the spread of infections,’ the statement added, while also highlighting that ‘sporting fairness’ was ‘preserved’.
Every affected club had been informed about the directive from UEFA ahead of the draws being revealed for their qualifying ties.
The same ban applied for September’s international fixtures, too, with UEFA and FIFA confirming the crackdown as a result of a ‘spike’ in coronavirus cases. In a letter sent to national associations, they said the decision was taken for ‘safety’.
Pressure has been growing on European football’s governing body to lift the ban
