The FA Cup final at London’s Wembley Stadium and the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield are among a group of events being lined up as pilots to pave the way for the return of large crowds to stadiums this summer.
The British government last month set out a four-stage plan for easing England’s Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
The pilots, which are part of the Events Research Programme (ERP), will inform government decisions on stage four, which will begin no earlier than June 21, when it is hoped that limits on social contact and restrictions on large events can be removed.
London, Liverpool and Sheffield are the cities that will take part in the pilot program, with tests across a range of sporting and cultural venues.
Decisions on the number of spectators allowed are yet to be taken, but the FA Cup final on May 15 could welcome more than the 10,000 that are set to be allowed into large outdoor venues from May 17 under the third stage of the plan.
