RIYADH — The Ministry of Sports announced on Sunday that fully vaccinated fans would be allowed to attend sports matches for the 2021-2022 sports season in stadiums with a new number of attendees. The stadiums will now be allowed a capacity not exceeding 60 percent instead of 40 percent that had been allowed earlier. This will be based on the updates issued by the concerned authorities with following up of the latest developments related with coronavirus, the ministry said in a press statement. The ministry has made a number of updates and amendments in the protocol for the attendance of fans at stadiums. The entry is restricted to those who are above the age of 12 and who have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine approved by the Ministry of Health, as appeared on Tawakkalna application. The ministry stressed the need to continue to implement important precautionary measures for the entry of masses to stadiums, such as maintaining physical distancing and wearing masks, in addition to the mechanism for entries of the masses, preventing gatherings inside the stands or at internal and external doors, and other instructions that must be adhered to. This is also with the condition that the concerned authorities have to follow up the implementation of this, and take necessary measures in the event that any violations are detected. It is noteworthy that authorities in Kingdom have started allowing vaccinated fans to attend sporting events at stadiums at a capacity of 40 percent effective from May 17. The return of vaccinated fans to the stadiums began since the coronavirus crisis when the Saudi national team played the Palestinian side in the Asian qualifiers for the Asian Cup 2023 and the 2022 World Cup, which was held at the Mrsool Park Stadium of King Saud University in the capital city of Riyadh in March 2021.
