Euro 2020 Quarter Finals: Ticket Cancellations and Covid Concerns for Fans
The anticipation for the Euro 2020 quarter finals has been met with disappointment for some fans as tickets purchased by England supporters residing in England for the upcoming match in Italy have been cancelled. This decision comes amid heightened concerns from the Italian government regarding potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations by travelling fans.
Specifically, the cancelled tickets were for the Ukraine vs. England quarter-final match scheduled to take place in Rome. Italian authorities raised concerns that fans travelling from England might not adhere to the country’s strict Covid-19 protocols, which mandate a five-day quarantine period for arrivals from the UK. Fearing difficulties in enforcing these rules and the potential health risks, the Italian Ministry of Interior requested a “special ticketing policy,” which UEFA subsequently approved.
UEFA acted upon Italy’s request, rendering tickets purchased in England for the Ukraine-England match invalid from Monday midnight onwards. Furthermore, the sale and transfer of tickets were halted from Thursday. The exact number of cancelled tickets is unclear, but approximately 16,000 spectators are expected to be admitted to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, representing 25% of its capacity. It is estimated that around 2,000 of these tickets were initially sold in England.
Italian media reports indicate that authorities have intensified controls at airports, roads, and railway lines to prevent England fans from attempting to circumvent the ban. The situation has been described in Italian press headlines as a “Delta variant alarm,” with terms like “Rome locked down, fans stopped” reflecting the stringent measures being implemented.
This is not the first instance of Covid-19 restrictions impacting fan attendance at Euro 2020 matches in Italy. For the tournament’s opening match between Turkey and Italy in Rome on June 11th, fans from Turkey were also unable to travel to Italy due to similar health regulations. However, Turkish fans residing in other European countries, particularly Germany, were able to attend. For the upcoming Ukraine match, it is anticipated that England supporters living in Italy and other European nations will be present to support their team.
The Italian government had previously advocated for the Euro 2020 final, scheduled for July 11th, to be moved from England due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases linked to the Delta variant in the UK. Prime Minister Mario Draghi stated his efforts to ensure the final would not be held in a country experiencing a rapid increase in infections. Despite these concerns, UEFA has maintained that all remaining Euro 2020 matches will proceed as originally planned across the 11 host cities.
The Euro 2020 championship, postponed from last year due to the pandemic, is being held across Europe in 11 different cities to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The gathering of large crowds in stadiums and public viewing areas during an ongoing pandemic has raised concerns about potential surges in Covid-19 cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has voiced these concerns, with WHO emergencies officer Catherine Smallwood warning that even small-scale, continuous events can contribute to virus transmission. Smallwood emphasized that the issue extends beyond stadiums, highlighting the risks associated with transportation to venues and crowded bars where fans congregate to watch matches.