WATCH | Calm before the storm at FNB as 2,000 Bafana fans await 6pm kickoff

12 October 2021 - 16:08
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FNB Stadium is empty and quiet on Tuesday afternoon but by kickoff at 6pm 2,000 excited spectators will be ready to blow the roof off when Bafana take to the field for their World Cup qualifier home leg against Ethiopia.
FNB Stadium is empty and quiet on Tuesday afternoon but by kickoff at 6pm 2,000 excited spectators will be ready to blow the roof off when Bafana take to the field for their World Cup qualifier home leg against Ethiopia.
Image: Mahlatse Mphahlele

FNB Stadium is empty and quiet but the venue will come alive in the next three hours when 2,000 spectators start arriving to watch the much-anticipated 2022 Qatar Fifa World Cup qualifier between Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia on Tuesday (6pm).

On Monday, co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma amended regulation 69 of the Disaster Management Act to allow up to 2,000 spectators to watch live sport.

This will be the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic almost two years ago that fans will be allowed to watch a live sporting event in the stadium through this pilot project.

Elsewhere, SA Rugby are planning to have fans at Loftus Versfeld during the inaugural Carling Champions Match clash between Kenya and a select Currie Cup team next month.

Strangely, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) have not expressed themselves since Dlamini-Zuma announced the amendments of the regulations to allow fans to return to stadiums.

Bafana go into this match sitting on top of Group G with seven points, and they will be looking to complete a double over Ethiopia who they convincingly beat 3-1 away from home at the weekend.

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