Euro 2020 matches at Wembley caused ‘significant public health risk’, study finds

Data shows thousands of cases linked to final matches

Some 300,000 fans were allowed into Wembley Stadium during the Euro 2020 tournament (Getty)

The Euro 2020 tournament caused “a significant risk to public health” in the UK, with data showing it led to thousands of new coronavirus cases.

Around 300,000 fans were allowed into Wembley during the eight Euro 2020 football matches played at the stadium in June and July, as part of the government's Events Research Programme (ERP).

There were 6,376 new cases linked to people at Wembley during the tournament matches, the majority of which were connected to the final and semi-final fixtures.

The UK's biggest stadium opened to 67,000 ticket holders – 75 per cent of its capacity – in the later stages of the European tournament. Several thousand additional fans, however, are thought to have gained access to the final between England and Italy without tickets.

Test-and-trace data compiled by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport showed 2,295 people who went to Wembley for the final were likely to have been infectious.

In the days after the match, a total of 3,404 fans who were there developed Covid-19. There were 2,092 new cases after the semi-final match between England and Denmark.

The fortnight-long Wimbledon tennis championships – part of the ERP – also permitted entry to around 300,000 people but only saw 582 new linked cases.

A report from Public Health England found the Euro 2020 tournament “generated a significant risk to public health across the UK even when England played overseas”.

“This risk arose not just from individuals attending the event itself, but included activities undertaken during travel and associated social activities,” the report’s authors said.

“For the final and semi-final games at Wembley, risk mitigation measures in place were less effective in controlling Covid transmission than was the case for other mass spectator sports events,” they added.

The report noted that this was the first time the England men’s team had reached an international final for 55 years, which led to “a sense of the final stages being a ‘once in a generation’” event.

Dr Jenifer Smith, deputy medical director of Public Health England, said the tournament was “a unique occasion” and it was unlikely that future events would have a similar impact on coronavirus cases.

She added: “However, the data does show how easily the virus can spread when there is close contact and this should be a warning to us all as we try and return to a cautious normality once again.”

Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, said the ERP data showed “we can reintroduce mass sports and cultural events safely but it is important that people remain cautious when mixing in very crowded settings”.

He added: “So that we can keep the football season, theatres and gigs safe with full crowds this winter, I urge sport, music and culture fans to get the vaccine, as this is the safest way we can get big events firing on all cylinders once more.”