English Football League (EFL) have announced that supporters will be permitted to attend 2020-21 Play-Off Semi-Finals and Finals across all three divisions.
Confirmation of supporters’ returns to stadiums come after the UK Government approved a move to step three of the country’s lockdown exit roadmap, which permits spectators inside stadiums from Monday 17 May 2021.
Speaking on the decision to allow spectators back into stadiums for the play-offs, EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch spoke of his delight at this decision and views this as a ‘significant step’ towards having full stadiums at the start of 2021-22 season.
All 12 clubs involved in the play-offs will therefore be permitted to legally welcome fans back into stadiums, subject to approval of individual local Safety Advisory Groups (SAG) in regards to the number of spectators allowed within each stadium.
EFL and all involved clubs have however agreed that away supporters can’t attend semi-final matches due to operational challenges in hosting both home and away supporters.
EFL also clarified that ‘proactive’ discussions were ongoing at the time of writing with the Welsh Government concerning whether to allow Swansea and Newport fans to attend their home legs of their play-off semi-finals on 22 and 18 May respectively.
Confirmation was subsequently given for both matches to be held as Welsh test events for the safe return of spectators to sport venues in Wales.
Fans of both sets of teams who reach Championship, League One and League Two Play-Off Finals will be permitted to attend those games across the May Bank Holiday weekend of 29-31 May.
Ticketing details will be released by individual clubs in due course with Birch confident that ‘stringent protocols’ are in place for welcoming fans back to individual stadiums subject to guidelines of local SAG.
Birch also took the opportunity to thank those who contributed towards the effort to ensure fans can return for these ‘important fixtures’ throughout the play-offs.
Bournemouth will open this season’s play-offs as they host Brentford at Vitality Stadium at 6pm (BST) on Monday 17 May in their two-legged Championship semi-final, with League Two closing the domestic season with their Play-Off Final on 31 May.
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