The UK has added Turkey to its ‘red list’ of countries for travel from May 17, which will require a 10 day hotel quarantine upon arrival in the UK.
This means football fans should not travel to Istanbul for the Champions League final later this month, according to transport minister Grant Shapps.
The match, between Chelsea and Manchester City, is scheduled to take place at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium on Saturday, May 29.
The UK announced its traffic light system for travel on Friday, with just a handful of countries being listed as ‘green’, meaning there is no quarantine requirement for arrivals from those countries.
As a red listed country, arrivals from Turkey would have to qurantine in a quarantine hotel for 10 days (which must be booked and paid for before you travel), as well as taking a PCR test on day two and day eight.
The UK’s Test to Release scheme will not be an option for red-listed arrivals, unlike amber countries.
Shapps said putting Turkey on the red list will “have a number of ramifications.”
“It does mean with regards to the Champions League that fans should not travel to Turkey,” he said.
The English Football Association is in discussions with UEFA, he added, saying the UK is open to hosting the final but it’s a decision for UEFA.
He also highlighted the UK’s track record of recently hosting football matches with thousands of spectators.
