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Eintracht Frankfurt may offer standing room at the Champions League debut
Photo: Arne Dedert / picture alliance / dpa
The European football union Uefa will allow the sale of standing room tickets again in the coming European Cup season after decades.
In Germany, France and England, fans can watch Champions League, Europa League and Conference League games "in accordance with national and local legislation", the umbrella organization announced on Wednesday.
Excluded are the respective finals, which are not held in the three countries anyway.
Standing in the stands would also be allowed for clubs from Italy and Spain, but standing room in the top leagues is unusual there.
The ARD "Sportschau" had previously reported on the decision of the Uefa Executive Committee, which initially applies to one season.
Uefa's standing room ban was announced in 1998.
At the time, the regulation was a reaction to security concerns, triggered among other things by the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 with 97 deaths.
Whether the softened regulation will remain or even be expanded further depends on the safety record of the upcoming season.
Uefa will commission independent experts to analyze the use of standing room at domestic and international club games in these countries to assess the different dynamics between domestic and international fans and the associated safety implications," Uefa said.
At the end of the 2022/2023 season, the test phase will be evaluated.
cev/dpa/sid
