No clarification yet on spectators for Danish Superliga matches

There remains no clarification on when Danish football fans will be able to return to 3F Superliga games after political negotiations on Monday regarding the reopening of Denmark in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic concluded without a firm commitment.

Football fans in Denmark have been unable to attend games since the autumn, with the Superliga having enjoyed a brief period during the summer when a limited number of supporters were permitted to matches.

It has been decided that an expert group will be formed, which until mid-April will look at solutions for how to open up stadiums for supporters, including Parken Stadium.

"We are very disappointed and amazed at why we have to wait yet again. Now a new expert group will be set up to look into this, while SSI has determined that the risk of infection with the Superliga model is low," says director of Parken, Lars Bo Jeppesen.

"At the same time, for almost a year we have repeatedly presented our plans and even proved them in practice as effective with 46 matches without a single case of infection, which has also been praised from a political point of view.

"Now we have the feeling that we are starting from scratch and wonder why that group of experts could not have started their work long ago, not least with a view to staging the historic European Championship games on Danish soil in a few months.

“All clubs, the Divisional Association and the DBU have continuously delivered - both when they are encouraged and unsolicited - analysis, assessments and reports to political parties and various agencies. Millions of kroner has been spent by the industry into creating solutions.

"Of course, we recognise that the pandemic is very serious, but we are sure that we can house spectators in a safe way, and the experts assess that the risk is low. Therefore, we do not understand that we have to wait indefinitely once again, although we do welcome the fact that the expert group must now be "fast-working".

"Football is not only important as part of our cultural life and people's mental health, but it is also an industry with a lot of jobs that are at stake."