Fans at sporting events: Swansea's home play-off tie could be first pilot event in Wales
- Published
Swansea City moved to Liberty Stadium in 2005
Swansea City's home Championship play-off tie could become the first Welsh major sporting event with fans in more than a year.
Talks are now ongoing that could see Liberty Stadium stage the event with limited numbers of supporters.
Wales' Euro 2020 send-off and a Glamorgan County Cricket Championship game are also lined up as pilot events.
If successful, Newport County may also be welcoming fans for their home League Two play-off tie, should they qualify.
It was announced in April that a range of cultural and sporting events would form part of a pilot scheme for the return of spectators in Wales.
No firm decisions can be made until after the Senedd elections on Thursday, although all stakeholders involved will be aware time would be needed for Swansea City to ready themselves for their first crowd since a goalless draw with West Bromwich Albion on 7 March last year.
Although nothing will be confirmed until the results of the elections, it is understood two sporting events had already been earmarked for pilot status prior to the play-off talks with the English Football League (EFL).
Wales' friendly international against Albania at Cardiff City Stadium on 5 June and a Glamorgan's four-day match with Lancashire on 3 June at Sophia Gardens are both in contention to be given the green light for a limited number of fans to attend.
Theatre and musical events will also be in the first batch of pilots, with as many as nine test events initially lined up.
Other sports and cultural events are likely to have the possibility of welcoming some spectators back later in the summer.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) and Glamorgan were among a variety of sporting organisations which asked to be considered to stage pilot events, when the Welsh Government confirmed it was restarting the scheme as part of its programme of easing coronavirus restrictions.
Previous plans - which included a Cymru Premier football fixture - were put on hold ahead of the December lockdown.
Initially the plan was to first allow a limited number of supporters to wave off Wales ahead of the European Championships, with the Albania fixture coming one week before the tournament opener against Switzerland on 12 June.
Glamorgan - whose Sophia Gardens home is scheduled to host England's one-day international against Pakistan on 8 July - was planned to be the first fixture announced for the return of sports crowds in Wales.
Glamorgan's Sophia Gardens ground is one of the venues being volunteered to stage pilot events for crowds in Wales
However, Swansea's place in the play-offs - and an eagerness from the EFL to have fans back at the first opportunity - has seen a push to allow some numbers return for their home leg.
Swansea's opponents - and the date of their home leg - will be decided by the final Championship standings; Barnsley, Brentford and Bournemouth have all secured top-six finishes as well.
The sides in third and fourth place in the table play their away legs on 17 May - the date England has planned for the return of fans to stadiums - with the second leg five days later on 22 May.
It is understood there is an EFL mandate to ensure fairness when it comes to the number of supporters at stadiums, meaning there has to be equal numbers in attendance for both legs.
Therefore, should talks with the Welsh Government officials fail to come to an agreement over a safe return of spectators for the play-offs, Swansea's opponents would not be allowed fans in their home tie.
This also applies to the League Two play-offs, in which Newport County can secure their place with a draw - or other results going their way - after this weekend's final fixtures, with the semi-finals scheduled to be played on 20 and 23 May.
Welsh Government had previously said it was monitoring pilot events in England with the First Minister Mark Drakeford stating in April it was part of a UK group looking at the return of spectators.
The EFL Cup final at Wembley and the recent snooker World Championships at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre both saw a gradual return of spectators.
The FA Cup final between Chelsea and Leicester City is also scheduled to be played in front of fans, with 22,000 supporters expected at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium.