Cross-border travel, stadium capacities: All about COVID norms in Euro 2020

For the first time in the competitions’ 60-year-history, the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020 will be hosted in 11 cities across Europe, spread across 4 time zones and up to 4,700 kilometres apart. These unprecedented arrangements have made cross-border travel a difficult prospect.

So, if you are planning to travel to watch your favourite team’s Euro 2020 match live in the stadium, prior planning is required as norms regarding special visas, negative result and quarantine rules have been made stricter. Stadiums across Europe have also cut down on capacities ranging from 22%-100%.

UEFA spokesperson Thomas Giordano has clarified that not a single country has put any prohibition on foreign fans, but law of the land has to be followed and that entry conditions have to be complied with.

UEFA in a release wrote, “The key indicator was the projection of an improved health situation in their host countries. Many factors were taken into consideration, including the local vaccination rollout, their plans for reopening the economy and the expected slow-down of the virus due to warmer temperatures.”

The European football body has also advised travelling fans to check a dedicated website on the tournament website for regularly updated guidelines. Ticketholders will be assigned a 30-minute window to arrive at the stadium. Other measures will vary from stadium to stadium and can include temperature checks and rapid COVID tests.

There are special measures in some countries, like ticketholders do not have to quarantine upon arrival in the Hungarian capital of Budapest. There are similar exemptions in Saint Petersburg as well.

The release also mentions that the customary UEFA festival activities will not be cancelled altogether but will be different across geographies. And fans can join the action even if they don’t have a match ticket.

Euro 2020 will start on June 11, with Italy taking on Turkey in the first group stage match at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The final is scheduled to be played on July 11.