Uruguay increases sports stadium attendance limit to 40% capacity

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Uruguay is moving forward on the return of people to stadiums, and a 40% capacity for the Clausura Tournament has just been announced.

Uruguay’s Sports Secretariat officially announced that First Division clubs will be allowed to host fans in stadiums, in addition to flexibilities granted for qualifiers and international cups (Sudamericana).

Accordingly, the country will have nearly half the number of fans in Clausura Tournament matches. Uruguay’s Sports Secretariat has notified the Uruguayan Soccer Association (AUF) that Championship matches will be allowed to hold up to that percentage of capacity, due to advances in the vaccination plan.

The portfolio led by Secretary Sebastián Bauzá sent an official letter to the Uruguayan soccer authorities allowing fans to return to stadiums to watch their teams, after almost 2 years of deferrals due to the pandemic.

As in South America, Uruguay is advancing in the authorization process due to a sustained decrease in Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Moreover, official statistics indicate that 75% of the population has been vaccinated.

The first test involved Peñarol’s stadium, which had 5,000 fans in attendance at the Campeón del Siglo, when it played Sporting Cristal in the Copa Sudamericana (approximately 12% capacity). The National Clubs Cup in the interior of the country also returned with fans in attendance.