Update: Bayern Munich to host 25,000 spectators starting with the next game

Update: 7:10AM EST

The state of Bavaria is going to up the attendance for Bayern Munich home games up to 25,000:

Bayern Munich will be able to welcome 5,000 more fans back into the Allianz Arena soon.

Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder announced last Tuesday that the Bavarian cabinet has decided to ease up the COVID protocols in the state, including those regarding sporting events.

From February 9th, stadiums in Bavaria can operate at 50 percent capacity, with a maximum number of 15,000 spectators. FFP2 masks are still required, as is the 2G-plus rule. This means that only people who have been fully vaccinated, or have recovered from COVID-19 within the last six months, will be eligible to enter the stadium. A ban on alcohol is still in place, so that is a slight downer for fans, but regardless, they should be grateful they can get into the stadium in the first place.

SpVgg Greuther Fürth, also based in Bavaria, already welcomed back around 8,000 fans in their last game, a 2-1 victory over Hertha BSC. They won’t have to leave their home state for their next game, which coincidentally is against Bayern. The Allianz Arena will be able to host 15,000 fans, roughly a fifth of its full capacity, when Bayern go up against their neighbors. It’s not a majority, but it’s still more than what the Arena hosted during the Euros last summer (just around 13,000).

Hopefully the players will be buoyed by the increased number of fans and redeem themselves from that horror show in Bochum last week.