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Bilbao faces being stripped of Euro 2020 hosting rights as Spanish FA says it is 'impossible' to have fans due to Covid rules
The RFEF says they cannot foresee supporters being able to enter the stadium due to strict coronavirus rules in the Basque region
The Spanish Federation of Football (RFEF) has announced that it will be "impossible" to comply with the protocols put in place that would allow fans to be in stadiums in Bilbao for the Euros this summer.
Bilbao's San Mames is one of 12 stadiums set to host matches this summer when the Euros kick-off after being rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The RFEF stated on Wednesday that they believe they will be unable to host fans despite UEFA's requirement that supporters must be allowed in all host stadiums.
What was said?
"It is false that the RFEF has agreed with the Basque government on these sanitary conditions, which are impossible to comply with," the statement said.
"Yesterday the set of requirements that the Basque government imposed for the presence of the public in the Euros was received and, from the first moment, they were made to see the impossibility of acceptance by the RFEF.
"The requirement to have 60 per cent of the population vaccinated in the Basque Country and the rest of Spain before June 14 is impossible to fulfill and will end, therefore, in the absence of the public.
"Therefore, the decision that UEFA takes once this document has been analysed will not be the responsibility of the RFEF, since we have given notice of it and we have stated this.
"The RFEF, based on the principle of equality and in defence of the Bilbao venue, will support this initiative of the Basque government, if these same conditions are also accepted in any of the other cities hosting the Euros, a matter that today we see as unlikely."
Which other cities are hosting Euro 2020?
Bilbao was selected to serve as Spain's host city, and there are 11 other countries set to hold matches this summer.
England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Russia, Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Ireland and Denmark will also host games with each country holding three group stage matches and at least one match in the round of 16 or quarter-finals.
Quarter-finals will be held in Munich, Baku, Saint Petersburg and Rome, while London's Wembley Stadium will play host to the semi-finals and finals.
As things stand, Bilbao are currently set to host Group E, featuring Spain, Sweden, Poland and Slovakia, alongside Dublin, while also serving as a host for a round of 16 match.
