Fans tuning into England’s Euro 2020 fixtures in pubs will not be allowed to sing or chant due to coronavirus fears.
Gareth Southgate’s side begin their campaign against Croatia on Sunday before further group-stage clashes with Scotland and Czech Republic at Wembley.
But for supporters up and down the country watching in pubs, no renditions of the national anthem, Three Lions, or other songs or chants will be permitted.
Under current Covid-19 protocols, the rule of six is in force indoors and the hospitality industry is operating on table service only.
Fans have also been urged not to sing in a bid to lessen the risk of spreading the disease.
(Image: PA)
James Cleverly, MP for Braintree, told Sky News : “We know the things which increase transmissibility: being in an enclosed space, being in close proximity to other people, speaking at volume because particles come from the mouth.
“We would encourage people to do things which we know are safe. Be outside, be socially-distanced, keep your face away from other peoples’ faces.
“We want people to enjoy the football, but we want people to enjoy the football in as safe a way as possible. We know what that is: being outside, being spread apart and not shouting or singing.”
Although it will be somewhat quieter than usual for fans watching England in pubs, the match-going experience is gradually returning to some sense of normality.
After a club season played almost entirely behind closed doors, Wembley Stadium is on the verge of getting the green light to host 40,000 fans during the knock-out stages of the Euros.
Talks over the increase are at an advanced stage, according to the Daily Telegraph , and the change should take place regardless of whether the easing of restrictions on 21 June is pushed back.
Will you be tuning into England’s Euro 2020 fixtures from a pub? Have your say in the comments.
Prior to the knock-out stages, 22,500 fans will attend England’s Group D fixtures, with each required to prove they are fully vaccinated against coronavirus or have returned a negative lateral flow test at most 48 hours before kick-off.
Meanwhile, Three Lions boss Southgate has called for fans to show the unity they exhibited throughout the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think it’s time for the country to unite, full stop. That’s how I see it,” he told the BBC . “If the team can be a catalyst for that then that’s brilliant.
“I think the England team is often a catalyst for bringing people together, bringing communities together, bringing families together, so of course in the process of doing that we want to play well, we want to win, we want to excite people but not all of that falls upon us.
“We’ve had lots of division and sometimes we need to remember what a strong island we are, what a strong nation we are, the great qualities that we have.
“There were moments at the beginning of the pandemic that were so powerful where people did pull together, I think we should always be striving towards that.”
