Apart from being one of the most memorable matches in Leicester City’s history, Saturday’s FA Cup final was an an important science experiment. This experiment will decide the fate of mass gatherings in the United Kingdom.

This match was not only watched by the fans but also by a group
of scientists, who were watched by the British government, according to a report in the Washington Post. Prince William, who
is the president of the English Football Association, was also present in the stadium
to watch the match.

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This event
was the latest and the largest gatherings in the series of trials, which were
conducted to access how to resume large gatherings, as the COVID-19
restrictions are lowered. Among other things,
the officials are assessing people’s willingness to provide documentation that
they are virus-free.

21,000
fans were allowed at the stadium to watch the match and were asked to present
evidence of negative lateral flow test from the previous 48 hours to pass
through the turnstiles.

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 “I feel like we are
sorta being tested like lab rats,” said Alfie Collins-Smith, an 18-year-old
student and Chelsea fan. But he quickly added that he willingly signed on. “I’d
do many, many tests, even quarantine, to go to this match. It’s the
first live game I’ve gone to in 14 months,” he said.