The following article was published by AFP:

On Wednesday, UEFA announced that the 30-percent spectator cap in stadiums had been removed, theoretically allowing host nations to set their own limits for the continent-wide European Championship this summer.

The ban has been in effect since last year in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but traveling fans are still not allowed to participate.

“Such a limit is no longer necessary, and… the decision on the number of permitted spectators should be left solely to the appropriate competent local/national authorities,” European football’s governing body said.

“In view of the ongoing travel restrictions and in order to enact reasonable and responsible policies to minimize Covid-19 related risks, the Executive Committee decided to confirm the decision of 1 October 2020 insofar that visiting fans are not allowed to attend UEFA competition matches.

“This is valid until prior to the club competition finals taking place in May 2021,” it added.

Earlier this month UEFA told AFP it wanted supporters at all games, played across 12 different countries from June 11-July 11.

The tournament has been postponed from last year due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

“If a city proposes a ‘no fans’ scenario” the matches due to be held there “could” be switched “to cities able to welcome supporters”, the body said on March 17.

Host cities have until April 7 to let UEFA know what their scenarios are in terms of attendance ahead of an executive committee meeting on April 19, on the eve of the federation’s annual congress in Montreux, Switzerland.

Though complicated, the multi-venue format allows organizers to deal with problems that arise as a result of the pandemic.

“If we can’t do anything in one country, there are 11 others where preparations are already underway,” UEFA’s health advisor Daniel Koch told AFP earlier this month.