WTC Final between India and New Zealand set to oversee 4,000 fans

Premier League games in England, earlier this week, started reintegrating fans into stadiums and Cricket in the country is all set to follow suit at the highest level as it has been confirmed that the World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand, which will be played in Southampton next month, will oversee a total of 4,000 spectators. The UK Government has given the green signal to slowly allow spectators back into stadiums, and the County Championship clash between Hampshire and Leicestershire at the Rose Bowl, on Wednesday, saw more than 1,000 fans cheer from the venue.

The number of fans in the WTC Final, however, is expected to significantly increase as Rod Bransgrove, the head of Hampshire County Club has confirmed that the Rose Bowl would be hosting a total of 4,000 people, sponsors and stakeholders included.

"We're staging a four-day county game from today and for the first time since September 2019 fans were allowed for a cricket match in England. The other county games of this round will begin tomorrow and those games too will see crowds," Rod Bransgrove, the head of Hampshire County Club, told Cricbuzz. 

"I understand 50 per cent of the permitted crowds will be taken by the ICC for its sponsors and other stakeholders and we will be selling the rest 2000 tickets. We have already received more than double applications from the fans. It is a high interest game and there is a good demand for it."

Last week, the FA Cup final between Leicester City and Chelsea marked a historic occasion as the game oversaw a total of 20,000 spectators. The match marked the first instance of a sporting venue in England hosting more than 10,000 people for a single game since the pandemic outbreak began in March 2020. 7 more County Championship matches will kick-off across the country today, and all matches will oversee spectators.