Vienna game to go ahead as planned
West Ham’s game with Rapid Vienna in Austria is likely to go ahead as it has a professional sports exemption to the UEFA Europa League game to continue behind closed doors.
Days after Austria imposed a lockdown on the unvaccinated, it has announced a full national Covid-19 lockdown starting on Monday.
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said it would last a maximum of 20 days and there would be a legal requirement to get vaccinated from 1 February 2022.
He was responding to record cases numbers in Austria and one of the lowest vaccination levels in Western Europe.
The Austrian government will need to officially confirm that Professional sports can continue without supporters present but that exemption is expected to be given as it was with previous lockdowns.
The Hammers still top group H in the Europa League and have already qualified for the next stage, another win would ensure they win the group and avoid the Champions League knock out round.