Football confirms spectators will be allowed back

The Gibraltar FA have confirmed that spectators will be allowed back onto the stands as from this weekend.
Reacting to today’s announcement by the Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authorities that spectators will be allowed into sports facilities as from this Friday, the Gibraltar FA have confirmed that this will also be effective at their facilities. The Gibraltar FA currently owns the Victoria Stadium, although jointly manned by the Gibraltar FA and the GSLA whilst others sports are allowed to share the facilities.
In a statement issued this Wednesday the Gibraltar FA announced “The Gibraltar FA is delighted to have received confirmation, from the Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority, that spectators will be allowed back into all sporting venues across Gibraltar as from Friday 16th April 2021. 
“At present, all facilities will be limited to a maximum of 50% capacity and we would like to urge all those attending any football fixtures to fully co-operate with any requirements or requests made by onsite GSLA staff or indeed Gibraltar FA Delegates.
“We would like to thank the GSLA, Civil Contingencies, Public Health Gibraltar and HM Government of Gibraltar for all of their amazing efforts and their hard work to ensure that Gibraltar is in a position to allow spectators to return to all of its sporting venues.”
The return of spectators comes just as the youth leagues have returned to competitive activity and as the national league enter into crucial weeks. Although spectators will miss the quarter finals of the Rock Cup the semi-finals will see spectators back on the stands. This weekend’s matches between Europa and Lynx and St Joseph and Lions will be among the first senior league matches to see spectators. Matches on Friday, which include Challenge Group match between Bruno Magpies and Manchester 62 will also be among matches that can be watched, as well as the youth league matches some of which will be played on Friday afternoon, with the bulk on Saturday morning.
The return of spectators should see a hectic day at the Victoria Stadium with Saturday morning likely to see most of the excitement of the return. Football was among the first sports to stop spectators attending matches in 2020 during the early stages of the effects of the global pandemic in Gibraltar. It was also one of the sports used as a pilot test for spectators with fans attending the international match against Netherlands at the end of March.