Home fans to return as Bundesliga new season begins Friday

Bundesliga fans will be allowed back into stadiums when the new season kicks off with champions Bayern Munich hosting Schalke 04 on Friday.

This follows a virtual meeting of the federal states’ chancelleries on Tuesday, which approved the return of home fans, but away fans remained banned for now. Aside from that alcohol remains banned while only seated fans will be allowed. Standing is not allowed.

The German Football League (DFL) agreed on a framework for the return of fans in August, with contract tracing regulations in place.

Those attending matches will need to supply contact details in case of a new infections during the COVID-19 crisis.

Every club has worked on location-specific hygiene concepts which includes prevention measures inside the stadium and on the way to the grounds. They must be approved by local health authorities before supporters are allowed back.

In the German Cup on Monday, more than 10,000 supporters attended Dynamo Dresden’s 4-1 win over Hamburger SV in the state of Saxony, while 300 were allowed back in when third-league club MSV Duisburg lost 5-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund.

Borussia Monchengladbach Ultras, meanwhile, released a statement that said while they understood the need to partially bring back fans, “visiting a stadium under that hygiene protocol has nothing even remotely to do with what we perceive as fan culture.”

The Bundesliga resumed on May 16 last season, becoming the first major football league to return amid the pandemic.

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Bayern Munich who clinched their eight consecutive league title and crowned their effort with Champions league title, will begin title chase in the new season by hosting Schalke O4 on Friday. They have already been handed eight out of 10 chances to clinch maximum three points in the opener.