By Eric Dobias, dpa
Frankfurt (dpa) – The German Football League (DFL) says it has accepted that fans will not be able to go back to stadiums from September after politicians said it was too early.
Bundesliga and second-tier clubs agreed a proposal with the DFL last week to let in a limited number of home fans with personalized tickets when the season starts. Standing and the sale of alcohol would also be banned.
However, politicians have the final say. The German federal health minister and the health ministers from the German states held a conference call on Monday where it was decided that the return of fans to stadiums was not a priority, especially with coronavirus cases beginning to tick up again.
“The DFL has always stressed that containing the coronavirus must have top priority. It therefore naturally respects the position of the federal and state health ministers in the current situation,” the DFL said in a statement on Tuesday.
“On the part of the DFL, there were and are no demands regarding the timing of a return or the number of spectators allowed in stadiums.”
The Bundesliga was the first major European league to return behind closed doors in May from a two-month coronavirus suspension. No fans were allowed in for the rest of the campaign, which finished in late June.
The new season kicks off on the third weekend in September, with the first round of the German Cup coming a week earlier.
The DFL still hopes fans can be let in at some point this season, with November a possible target.
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is crossing his fingers.
“We hope that despite the initial negative reaction from politicians, we will still be able to play with spectators again at some point, because football is no fun without fans,” he told reporters in Munich, suggesting a very limited amount of fans first off may work.
“Maybe we have to think conservatively at the beginning, we don’t have to let 25,000 people into the stadium right away.”
German supporter umbrella group Unsere Kurve also said it accepted the decision of the politicians at this stage.
“We as fans do not claim a special role. Protecting public health has priority,” group vice-chairman Markus Sotirianos told dpa.
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