Fans banned from German Bundesliga matches due to coronavirus outbreaks

As Stephan Uersfeld wrote for ESPN, the German Bundesliga has been ordered back behind closed doors by chancellor Angela Merkel and the 16 heads of the German federal states because of COVID-19 outbreaks throughout the country. 

Fans will be banned from attending matches from Nov. 2 through at least the end of the month. Supporters are permitted to attend games, at reduced capacities, through the upcoming weekend. 

Bundesliga teams and other German clubs had been allowed to fill venues up to 20%, if cleared by local health authorities, since the start of the season. Increases in coronavirus cases put the top-flight back behind closed doors and could even cause German football to shut down as leagues around the world did in March. 

"If the Bundesliga is suspended again, if we are not allowed to play even without fans, bit-by-bit several clubs would have to declare bankruptcy," Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, per ESPN. "And as a result, the Bundesliga would be in danger of collapsing entirely."

The pandemic continues to impact teams and competitions around the world and has executives scrambling for ideas that could ultimately be scrapped by authorities if cities or entire countries embrace lockdowns over the next several months. In August, qualifying clubs were placed in isolated hubs in Portugal for the closing three rounds of the Champions League tournament. 

Meanwhile, fans haven't yet been welcomed back to English Premier League matches despite vocal protests from supporters.