Over 12,000 fans signed an online petition calling for the capacity for the EFL play-off finals at Wembley to be increased; watch Brentford vs Swansea live on Sky Sports Football from 2pm on Saturday, kick-off 3pm
Wednesday 26 May 2021 20:01, UK
The EFL have made 2,000 more tickets available for fans of Brentford and Swansea for the Championship play-off final.
The extra allocation takes the capacity for Saturday's showpiece final to 12,000, with 10,000 tickets distributed directly to the two clubs.
The EFL had requested the play-off finals be part of the Government's Event Research Programme (ERP) but that did not happen hence the 10,000 restriction for League One and Two, and 12,000 for the Championship, with the latter as part of the NHS App trial.
An EFL spokesperson said: "Having moved our Play-Off schedule to align with the Government's move to Step 3 protocols and enable fans to attend, we look forward to welcoming supporters back to Wembley at the eagerly anticipated Sky Bet EFL Play-Off Finals, after a season behind closed doors.
"While the small increase in the Championship Final is welcome, we would of course have preferred to admit fans in much greater numbers, but like other public events are subject to the Government's Step 3 guidance.
"Unfortunately, the Play-Offs were not selected to operate as a pilot event as part of the Government's Events Research Programme - despite a request from the EFL on behalf of the clubs involved and their supporters - which meant that achieving significantly greater capacities at all three Finals was not possible.
"The EFL shares the disappointment of the clubs and their supporters that many fans will be absent but we will continue to liaise with the Government in the coming weeks as we pursue our aspiration of a return to full stadia for the start of next season."
Both Brentford and Swansea had requested more tickets be released to fans after 21,000 were admitted to Wembley to watch Leicester play Chelsea in the FA Cup Final earlier this month.
More than 12,000 fans of both clubs signed a petition asking for more tickets and the chief executives of both Swansea and Brentford also backed the call for increased capacity at the showpiece game.
