August 28 – Despite some countries making tentative plans for a gradual return of fans, the Bundesliga looks set to remain largely behind closed doors until at least the start of next year after German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that a ban on large events will be extended from October 31 to December 31.
Merkel met with her 16 state governors on Thursday to discuss how to proceed as coronavirus infections rise again in Germany. Football was not the main focus of the talks but is covered by the decision to extend the ban on events where hygiene and tracing can’t be ensured.
Germany has reported 240,420 cases of the coronavirus, with 9,290 deaths attributed to COVID-19. The figure is way lower than in much of Europe and a quarter of the death rate in Britain but concern is growing as the number of daily new infections is rising.
The new German season is set to start on September 11 with the first round of the DFB-Pokal, the German Cup. The Bundesliga then kicks off the following weekend.
The Bundesliga was the first major European league to return from coronavirus lockdown in May and it is still hoped that a limited number of fans may at some point be allowed into stadiums – but not, now, in the numbers that had been hoped for.
This is in stark contrast to France where up to 5,000 spectators are being allowed to watch games in the new Ligue 1 season despite a rise in infection rates nationally.
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