COVID-19 Cases Go Crazy, EU Officials Ask UEFA To Reconsider Euro Semi-finals And Final At Wembley

JAKARTA - European football's governing body, UEFA, has been asked by European Union officials to reconsider their plans to host the semifinals and finals of Euro 2020 at Wembley Stadium as England is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases.

In the midst of a spike in cases driven by the outbreak of the Delta variant in England, UEFA last week reiterated their commitment to continuing to host the two semifinal and final matches of Euro 2020 at Wembley on July 6, 7, and 11.

UEFA even announced the addition of attendance permits which increased to 75 percent of Wembley's capacity for the three matches or approximately 60,000 seats.

"There will be so many people and about increasing stadium occupancy, we are very concerned that the Delta variant which is so visible should serve as a warning to UEFA for careful consideration," said European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas.

Schinas, who is nomenclature in charge of the European Union's public health policy, said there was an asymmetry to consider regarding the UK government's travel restrictions policy while on the other hand they were prepared to welcome large numbers of arrivals from abroad.

In current regulations, ticket holders must prove a negative test result for COVID-19 or a statement that they have undergone a full vaccination to attend Wembley.

However, there is no sign that the UK will relax other rules about the 10-day quarantine for foreign arrivals.

"I think these objective considerations should make UEFA review carefully the situation of the semifinals and final," said Schinas.

"And I feel supported to say this because I have seen German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and many other members of the European Union express similar concerns," he concluded.