Football fans take part in an exciting, but safe, return to the Beautiful Game

Nahid from Baku, Azerbaijan: 

 “I’m really excited about being among the football fans again, the electric atmosphere in the grounds, and being there, in the flesh, to see goals being scored. Even so, I’m going to be careful – it’s everyone’s responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after all. Before going to the match, I’ll clean my hands with hand sanitizer and do it again regularly until I return home. Let’s enjoy the moment, but make sure we protect ourselves and our loved ones.”

Ionuț from Bucharest, Romania:

 “At the beginning of the pandemic, I felt disappointment and frustration that the virus had effectively stolen the joy of being with my friends and going to games. I have mixed feelings about returning to see a game – it’s like finding something you felt you’d lost. It’s exciting, but at the same time I’m a bit nervous about being in a crowded space again. On the other hand, I’m comforted knowing that most venues have put in place measures to help with safe distancing and to limit infection risks.”

Joanna and James from London, United Kingdom: 

 “We were disappointed, but completely understood why last year’s matches had to be cancelled. Despite there being reduced capacity, I’m sure there’ll be a good atmosphere this time round – everyone’s really hungry to see football again. We’ll be taking a COVID-19 test before and after the game to check that we’re safe, and taking heed of the tannoy announcements to keep our distance from others. We’re also driving there to reduce our risks on public transport and, of course, we’ll be regularly using hand sanitizer.”

Michele from Taranto, Italy: 

 “I’ve always loved football, so when it was taken away because of the pandemic, I felt frustrated and missed coming together with the other fans to have that shared experience. Although I’m excited at games starting again, I’d prefer to wait until it’s completely safe before attending a match, so as fans we can stand, cheer and sing just like we used to!”