Plan B: Fans will require Covid pass for events with over 10,000 people in England

Proof of coronavirus vaccination or a negative lateral flow test will be required for spectators to attend sporting events in England with crowds of over 10,000 after the Government announced it is to implement ‘Plan B’.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a press conference at Downing Street on Wednesday evening to introduce new measures in response to rising cases and the spread of the Omicron variant.

The Prime Minister warned it is clear the new strain is “growing much faster” than Delta, and cases of Omicron could be doubling every two or three days as he strengthened England’s rules.

Premier League matches fit the criteria for the new restrictions, with 17 games set to happen between 15-19th December. Attendees of which will be subject to the guidelines.

Three Premier League games on the 14th December will not have to follow the new rules, due to them taking place the day before the restrictions come into place.

All four European Champions Cup rugby matches and all three European Challenge Cup ties taking place in England next week will also be affected.

Boris Johnson has insisted that the new measures do not amount to a lockdown in a press conference, and announced further measures such as guidance to work from home and face masks in most outdoor settings.

Mr Johnson said: “On Christmas, the best way to ensure we have a Christmas as close to normal as possible is to get on with Plan B – irritating though it may be, it is not a lockdown, it is Plan B, it is what we set out a while back – and to get your booster and to get your jab.”

He said it was his view that festive parties and nativity plays should not be cancelled.

“They should follow the guidance, of course, but we are not saying we want kids to be taken out of school before the end of term – not that there is very long to go now – and we don’t want nativity plays to be cancelled,” Mr Johnson said.

“We think that it is OK currently, on what we can see, to keep going with Christmas parties, but obviously everybody should exercise due caution, have ventilation, wash your hands, get a test before you go – (it is) a sensible thing to do to give everybody else at the party the confidence that they are going to be meeting someone who is not contagious.”