Fans required to wear masks at all games, league says

[July 23, 2020]    (Reuters) - Any fans attending games during the upcoming National Football League (NFL) season must wear face masks, the league confirmed on Wednesday.

An Airforce C5 does a flyover above Gillette stadium before the New England Patriots play against the Buffalo Bills in a NFL football game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, November 11, 2012. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter/File Photo

"For those wondering, yes, it is league-wide: fans at NFL games this season will be required to wear face coverings," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a tweet.

Teams and local governments in NFL markets across the country have moved to limit the number of fans inside stadiums during the upcoming season, which kicks off Sept. 10, in order to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens previously said they would significantly reduce the number of attendees on gamedays, while the New York Jets and New York Giants said this week that no fans will attend any upcoming games at MetLife Stadium, citing an executive order from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

The NFL will reopen training camps for all players next week, with rigorous testing and other safety procedures in place to reduce the risks posed by the coronavirus outbreak.

(Reporting By Amy Tennery; Editing by Alistair Bell)

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.