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With the new three-tier restriction system set to be confirmed across the country, sports fans will eagerly await next Wednesday when venues can reopen their doors and welcome supporters for the first time in nearly nine months.

The coronavirus pandemic put the brakes on all forms of sport in March and triggered a shutdown that lasted for at least three months, with the likes of the Premier League, Premiership rugby, horse racing and boxing all resuming behind closed doors.

Hopes for a return of fans on 1 October were dashed when a rise in coronavirus cases and deaths triggered a second national lockdown, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced at the start of the week that the end of the tight restrictions will also coincide with the return of fans – albeit in very limited numbers.

The rules outlined by the government are:

• Tier 1: Up to 4,000 fans allowed outdoors, up to 2,000 fans indoors

• Tier 2: Up to 2,000 fans allowed outdoors, up to 1,000 fans or 50 per cent capacity (whichever is fewer) indoors

• Tier 3: No fans allowed outdoors and indoors.

It’s understood that Premier League games in Liverpool, London and Brighton will all be place under tier 2 restrictions, meaning fans can return in numbers up to 2,000 from next weekend.

However, matches in Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds and Wolverhampton will all be placed in tier 3 restrictions, with fans forced to wait until they can return.

Here’s your complete guide to the football games that stand to be affected next week, and where fans will be eligible to return.

Tuesday 1 December

(EFL are considering moving games to Wednesday 3 December to allow fans to return)

Championship

Cardiff City vs Huddersfield Town (Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff) – Wales restrictions TBC

Birmingham City vs Barnsley (St Andrew’s, Birmingham) – tier 3

Bournemouth vs Preston North End (Vitality Stadium) – tier 2

Derby County vs Coventry City (Pride Park, Derby) – TBC

Queens Park Rangers vs Bristol City (Loftus Road, London) – tier 2

Story continues

Rotherham United vs Brentford (New York Stadium, Rotherham) – tier 3

League One

AFC Wimbledon vs Peterborough United (Plough Lane, London) – tier 2

Blackpool vs Portsmouth (Bloomfield Road Stadium, Blackpool) – TBC

Crewe Alexandra vs Swindon Town (Gresty Road, Crewe) – tier 3

Lincoln City vs Wigan Athletic (LNER Stadium, Lincoln) – TBC

Oxford United vs Ipswich Town (Kassam Stadium, Oxford) – TBC

Sunderland vs Burton Albion (Stadium of Light, Sunderland) – tier 3

Northampton Town vs Fleetwood Town (Sixfields Stadium, Northampton) – TBC

Plymouth Argyle vs Rochdale (Home Park, Plymouth) – TBC

League Two

Bradford City vs Cheltenham Town (Northern Commercials Stadium, Bradford) – tier 3

Colchester United vs Crawley Town (Colchester Community Stadium, Colchester) – TBC

Forest Green Rovers vs Newport County (The New Lawn, Gloucestershire) – TBC

Grimsby Town vs Exeter City (Blundell Park, Grimsby) – tier 3

Harrogate Town vs Scunthorpe United (Wetherby Road, Harrogate) – tier 3

Morecambe vs Barrow (Globe Arena, Morecambe) – tier 3

Oldham Athletic vs Tranmere Rovers (Boundary Park, Oldham) – tier 3

Wednesday 2 December

Champions League

Manchester United vs Paris Saint-Germain (Old Trafford, Manchester) – tier 3

Championship

Blackburn Rovers vs Millwall (Ewood Park, Blackburn) – tier 3

Luton Town vs Norwich City (Kenilworth Road, Luton) – TBC

Middlesbrough vs Swansea City (The Riverside, Middlesbrough) – tier 3

Nottingham Forest vs Watford (The City Ground, Nottingham) – TBC

Sheffield Wednesday vs Reading (Hillsborough, Sheffield) – tier 3

Wycombe Wanderers vs Stoke City (Adam’s Park, Wycombe) – TBC

League One

Bristol Rovers vs Gillingham (Memorial Stadium) – TBC

Charlton Athletic vs Milton Keynes Dons (The Valley, London) – tier 2

Hull City vs Doncaster Rovers (KC Stadium, Hull) – tier 3

Shrewsbury Town vs Accrington Stanley (New Meadow, Shrewsbury) – TBC

League Two

Cambridge United vs Mansfield Town (Abbey Stadium, Cambridge) – TBC

Carlisle United vs Salford City (Brunton Park, Carlisle) – tier 3

Walsall vs Stevenage (Bescot Stadium, Walsall) – TBC

Thursday 3 December

Europa League

Arsenal vs Rapid Vienna (Emirates Stadium, London) – tier 2

Rangers vs Standard Liege (Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow) – Scotland restrictions TBC

Friday 4 December

Championship

Barnsley vs Bournemouth (Oakwell, Barnsley) – tier 3

Saturday 5 December

Premier League (fixtures to be confirmed)

Aston Villa vs Newcastle United (Villa Park, Birmingham) – tier 3

Brighton vs Southampton (Amex Stadium, Brighton) – tier 2

Burnley vs Everton (Turf Moor, Burnley) – tier 3

Chelsea vs Leeds United (Stamford Bridge, London) – tier 2

Liverpool vs Wolves (Anfield, Liverpool) – tier 2

Manchester City vs Fulham (Etihad Stadium, Manchester) – tier 3

West Bromwich Albion (The Hawthorns, Birmingham) – tier 3

West Ham vs Manchester United (London Stadium, London) – tier 2