How many visitors are allowed is still up to the local authorities. In agreement with the district of Emsland, SV Meppen can play against 1860 Munich in front of 5,000 fans in the Hänsch Arena on Saturday (2 p.m.).
It is still unclear whether Braunschweig will also play in front of more spectators in the home game against SC Freiburg II (live on TV and on NDR.de). Eintracht has applied to allow 8,700 visitors. A corresponding hygiene concept has been submitted to the Braunschweig health department and the club is expecting the decision in the course of the afternoon, according to a spokesman for the club on NDR request.
“We are particularly happy for our fans, who can now support our team again, taking into account the protective measures that are still necessary.”
— Meppen Managing Director Ronald Maul
Osnabrück is away to Viktoria Köln on Monday, but has already applied for 7,989 spectators to watch the state duel against Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday next week (live on NDR).
Hannover 96 submits application for game on Sunday
The decision only applies to open-air events, but not only to the three clubs that went to court against the Corona regulation. In the future, Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg and second division side Hannover 96 will also be able to play in front of more than 500 spectators again. 96 welcomes Darmstadt 98 on Sunday, VfL has an away game at Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
96 has already submitted an application to the responsible health authority to be allowed to play the home game against the leaders “with an expanded audience capacity”. “Hannover 96 is in contact with the contacts at the health department and assumes that the authority will evaluate the application submitted on Friday,” says a statement from the club. As soon as permission has been granted, the “Reds” want to start selling tickets at short notice.
Defining the upper limit “no longer appropriate”
With its decision on Friday, the court at least partially granted an urgent application by the three third division clubs from Braunschweig, Meppen and Osnabrück against the current Corona regulation in Lower Saxony. The limitation to just 500 participants, regardless of the capacity, location and design of the event location, is inappropriate, also taking into account the current incidence of infection, and therefore represents a constitutionally unjustified interference with the applicants’ freedom to practice their profession, which is protected by fundamental rights Reason.
“We didn’t want to achieve a special role for professional football, we wanted to have the same opportunities in Lower Saxony as clubs from other federal states.”
— Wolfram Benz, spokesman for the management of Eintracht Braunschweig
However, the Higher Administrative Court also determined that limiting the number of viewers was not objectionable in itself. If you want to play in the open air in front of more than 500 spectators in the future, you need a permit from the responsible local authority. They are therefore not obliged to allow a capacity of up to 50 percent in the stadiums.