13,000-strong fan attendance allowed for EURO 2020 matches slated in Bucharest

The Ministry of Youth and Sports announced today in a press release that the EURO 2020 matches to be hosted by Romania will be played with 13,000 spectators in the stands, representing a quarter of the Bucharest venue's capacity. "The Ministry of Youth and Sports marks the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace with a long-awaited piece of news: the matches organized in Romania as part of the final tournament of the European Football Championship EURO 2020 will take place with spectators in the stands. By approving the Memorandum presented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports at the last government meeting, the Romanian Government undertook to adopt the necessary legislation to allow the matches of the final tournament of the European Football Championship Euro 2020 organized in 2021 on the territory of Romania to take place with an attendance of maximum of 13,000 spectators in the stands, representing 25 percent of the capacity of the National Arena," the release states. In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, the decision of the Romanian Government is based on Romania's commitments and is aimed at preventing the risk of being excluded from the EURO 2020 circuit following UEFA's decision that all the tournament matches should take place with physical attendance, in a controlled and safe regime in terms of fan health. Minister Eduard Novak said that Romania has made every effort to ensure that the event can take place in Bucharest. "This decision of the Romanian Government comes to crown all the efforts made so far by our country, both from a financial and a human and logistical point of view. We have the historic chance to be part of a major sporting event and to prove that we can honor our obligations to the highest standards of organization and health safety. The sporting spectacle remains a great joy for all of us, and this is a reason for us to earn recognition for our organizer capability and therefore, of national pride," Novak said. The EURO 2020 Local Organizing Structure in Bucharest and the Romanian Football Federation devised a plan for the access of the spectators to fill 25 percent of the National Arena - the place where the 4 assigned matches will be played. Bucharest will host three Group C matches and a round of 16 match, as follows: Austria vs. North Macedonia (June 13, 19:00), Ukraine vs. North Macedonia (June 17, 16:00), Ukraine vs. Austria (June 21, 19:00), all in Group C, as well as the round of 16 match that will oppose the Group F winner and the third-placed side from Group A/B/C (June 28, 22:00). AGERPRES (RO - author: Marius Tone, editor: Mihai Tenea; EN - author: Simona Klodnischi, editor: Simona Iacob)