Back to overview

The Return of Football Fans in the UK: When will it happen and why it needs to happen?

PA Images | "Football stadiums benefit from being outdoors - therefore, with the right social distancing measures in place, there seems no reason to prevent spectators from returning," argues two football finance experts from Sheffield Hallam University.

As England enters a second national lockdown (from 5th November to 2nd December) those of us interested in footballs finances look again at the precarious financial situation facing many professional football clubs.

In a recently published article, co-authored with other leading academics in the field, we argue for the safe return of football fans to stadiums, when possible, following strict social distancing guidelines.

The idea that fans could be locked out for the entire 2020/21 season is likely to lead to some clubs going out of business but there is also a wider economic and social impact.

5 November 2020 - 7:45 PM

By Dr. Dan Plumley and Dr. Rob Wilson, Sheffield Hallam University

Do you want to read this article?

Get smarter in minutes. Straight to your inbox
21-day free trial

No credit card required. No strings attached. Your access ends automatically, so there’s nothing to cancel.

Activate instantly with the link we’ll send you.