Italy v N Macedonia World Cup playoff to have capacity crowd

Italy's World Cup playoff semi-final against North Macedonia next week in Palermo will be played in front of a capacity crowd, the country's minister of health Roberto Speranza said on Tuesday.

Attendance in outdoor stadiums has been capped at 75per cent due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the obligation to wear a mask has been lifted. Italy reported 28,900 COVID-19-related cases on Monday, while the number of deaths rose to 129 from 86.

"Nothing prevents, given the current epidemiological situation and the importance of the event, to open 100per cent capacity for the Italy-North Macedonia match," Speranza said.

Roberto Mancini's Italy will host North Macedonia on March 24 at Palermo's Stadio Barbera, which seats just over 36,000 people, with the winners facing either Portugal or Turkey in the playoff final.

(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru)