Bundesliga to go back to ghost games following spike in COVID-19 infections

No fans will be allowed in Bundesliga stadiums for the month of November after the German government announced a new set of measures to deal with the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

At a virtual meeting on Wednesday, Germany’s federal government and the 16 heads of states agreed to enforce restrictive measures in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19. The decision was made to allow professional sporting events, including the Bundesliga, to go ahead without spectators. Which means that fans will not be allowed into stadiums at least for the month of November.

The restrictions are not due to come into effect until Monday, November 02, so this weekend’s fixtures can go ahead with partial admission of fans, depending on approval from local authorities. The number of fans being allowed into stadiums have varied over the first five match-days. Borussia Dortmund hosted Borussia Mönchengladbach on the opening matchday in front of 11,500 spectators. But there were only 300 fans in attendance to watch last weekend’s Revierderby.

Germany’s decision to go into a partial lockdown for the month of November comes with the country recording its highest daily COVID-19 infections this week. “We must act now to avoid an acute national health emergency,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans Joachim Watzke told Sky that he accepted the government’s decision, but added that the Bundesliga’s elaborate hygiene concept and measures meant that having fans in stadiums never posed a danger. “All of us at BVB hope that we will be able to play in front of our great fans again as soon as possible,” Watzke said.

Several bosses of Bundesliga clubs have said in recent months that another suspension of the league could be disastrous for the economic survival of clubs in German football.