Fans will return to sports stadiums in Scotland next week as the country is gradually lifting some of its coronavirus-related restrictions, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.
A limit of 500 people at outdoor events has been in place since Boxing Day.
However, limits on indoor events will remain in place until 24 January, Sturgeon said. These measures were introduced by the government in order to slow the spread of the Omicron strain of the COVID-19 infection.
According to Scottish health officials, the average daily cases in Scotland – 2,824 per one million population in the week to 6 January – were higher than in England (2,615 per one million), which actually has fewer COVID restrictions.
Sturgeon has been facing growing pressure from MPs and the wider public over the restrictions being too harsh and yet not effective enough to curb the spread of the virus. The minister argued that the restriction did help "to mitigate to some extent the impact of the Omicron wave."