Vietnam's first football game since pandemic break to allow spectators

"The club decided to allow spectators at the game to make it less boring," Tran Thai Toan, director of the host club Nam Dinh, said.

This will be the first match to welcome fans to the stadium after Vietnam was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Vietnam's football leagues have been postponed since mid-March after playing several rounds without spectators.

"We will start selling tickets on Friday, priced from VND10,000 to VND70,000 ($0.43-3). This match has attracted much attention from fans," Toan said.

The game will kick off at Thien Truong Stadium in the northern Nam Dinh Province at 6 p.m. on May 23. This is the opening game of National Cup 2020 qualifiers.

To guarantee distance between fans, organizers will only sell a certain number of tickets to fill half the stadium capacity. In total, only 10,000 tickets will be available.

Usually, Thien Truong Stadium only opens 90 minutes before a game, but due to current circumstance, the time will be increased to 150 minutes to facilitate temperature checks.

"All those entering the stadium must wear masks and use hand sanitizer. We will take every precaution to ensure safety," Toan said.