<p>About 10,000 supporters could be allowed at each leg of the Chinese Super League final next month, a top football official said, as spectators return to China's stadiums despite the lingering coronavirus threat.</p>.<p>Football across the world is grappling with how to readmit crowds while preventing infections, with the English Premier League among the high-profile competitions still taking place behind closed doors.</p>.<p>The coronavirus emerged in China late last year but the country has successfully curtailed the number of local infections, allowing football fans to begin returning to matches in limited numbers.</p>.<p>The postponed CSL began in July without spectators but there were about 3,000 fans on Saturday for a 2-2 draw between title contenders Beijing Guoan and Shandong Luneng in Suzhou.</p>.<p>The title will be decided over two legs, on November 8 and 12, in Suzhou, near Shanghai.</p>.<p>"Going to the final, I would say... 10,000-ish (fans)," Chinese Football Association secretary-general Liu Yi told AFP.</p>.<p>"It'd be that kind of ceiling because it's a big game for sure," he added. That figure is likely to be lowered if there is a sudden spike in virus cases.</p>.<p>The Suzhou stadium holds nearly four times that number but attendance will be limited to allow social distancing.</p>.<p>Fabio Cannavaro's Guangzhou Evergrande took a step closer to retaining the title as they thrashed Hebei China Fortune 5-0 on Wednesday to win their two-legged quarter-final 8-1.</p>.<p>The 16-team league has been played in two "bubbles", one in Suzhou and the other in Dalian, since it kicked off five months late.</p>.<p>The first phase lasted 10 weeks and no coronavirus infections were reported among players, coaches or staff.</p>.<p>After a short time home with their families, teams are now back in the bubbles for the remainder of the season.</p>.<p>That means being restricted to their hotels, training pitches and stadiums.</p>.<p>"There's been no major cases of breaching the rules and people (teams) have been very cooperative. That's the key," said Liu.</p>
<p>About 10,000 supporters could be allowed at each leg of the Chinese Super League final next month, a top football official said, as spectators return to China's stadiums despite the lingering coronavirus threat.</p>.<p>Football across the world is grappling with how to readmit crowds while preventing infections, with the English Premier League among the high-profile competitions still taking place behind closed doors.</p>.<p>The coronavirus emerged in China late last year but the country has successfully curtailed the number of local infections, allowing football fans to begin returning to matches in limited numbers.</p>.<p>The postponed CSL began in July without spectators but there were about 3,000 fans on Saturday for a 2-2 draw between title contenders Beijing Guoan and Shandong Luneng in Suzhou.</p>.<p>The title will be decided over two legs, on November 8 and 12, in Suzhou, near Shanghai.</p>.<p>"Going to the final, I would say... 10,000-ish (fans)," Chinese Football Association secretary-general Liu Yi told AFP.</p>.<p>"It'd be that kind of ceiling because it's a big game for sure," he added. That figure is likely to be lowered if there is a sudden spike in virus cases.</p>.<p>The Suzhou stadium holds nearly four times that number but attendance will be limited to allow social distancing.</p>.<p>Fabio Cannavaro's Guangzhou Evergrande took a step closer to retaining the title as they thrashed Hebei China Fortune 5-0 on Wednesday to win their two-legged quarter-final 8-1.</p>.<p>The 16-team league has been played in two "bubbles", one in Suzhou and the other in Dalian, since it kicked off five months late.</p>.<p>The first phase lasted 10 weeks and no coronavirus infections were reported among players, coaches or staff.</p>.<p>After a short time home with their families, teams are now back in the bubbles for the remainder of the season.</p>.<p>That means being restricted to their hotels, training pitches and stadiums.</p>.<p>"There's been no major cases of breaching the rules and people (teams) have been very cooperative. That's the key," said Liu.</p>