As expected, the state of Baden-Württemberg will ban large events from Saturday. A similar decision is also expected from Bavaria in the course of Friday.
This is what the Deutsche Presse-Agentur learned from government circles in Stuttgart on Friday. Accordingly, a “hard upper limit” of 750 people will apply to all events such as football matches or cultural events in future. The rules are to come into force as early as Saturday.
This will affect VfB Stuttgart on Sunday, who have an important match against Hertha BSC ahead of them in their fight to stay in the league. It is not yet known until when this regulation will apply.
We regret this development because our hygiene concept for the Mercedes-Benz Arena had proven itself very well so far.
The Swabians are not unprepared for the decision. Chairman of the Board Thomas Hitzlsperger had already seen it coming in the middle of the week. “We regret this development because our hygiene concept for the Mercedes-Benz Arena had proven itself very well so far,” said Hitzlsperger, adding that he sees the club facing extreme challenges as a result.
Hoffenheim hosts Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday and is also affected by the ruling. “For us, this decision is of course tantamount to a return to so-called ghost matches. We regret this very much,” TSG managing director Frank Briel said in a club statement.
In addition to VfB and TSG, second-division teams SV Sandhausen (against Paderborn on Saturday) and 1. FC Heidenheim (against Jahn Regensburg on Sunday) are also affected by the decision. And also in the 3rd league one has to orientate oneself to this upper limit. SC Freiburg II receive MSV Duisburg (Sunday, 1 p.m.), Waldhof Mannheim host SV Wehen Wiesbaden on Monday evening (7 p.m.).
Ghost games also expected in Bavaria
A similar decision regarding major events is still expected from the Bavarian state parliament today. In Saxony it has already been decided that no more fans will be allowed in the arenas for the time being
