The Washington Football Team will welcome fans back to FedEx Field next fall.
Washington announced on Thursday its intention to open FedEx up to its full capacity for the 2021 season, while continuing to deploy health and safety measures put in place in 2020. While the state of Maryland currently only permits outdoor venues to operate at 50 percent capacity, Washington is confident, as vaccination rates continue to rise and covid infection rates continue to fall, that it can safely return to 100 percent capacity by the fall.
"As we have always said, the safety of our fans, employees, coaching staff and players is our top priority. We take our responsibility to create a safe return for fans very seriously, and we do so with the confidence and collaboration of our state and local public health authorities with whom we stay in constant contact to assure proper protocols are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19," said team president Jason Wright.
As many NFL teams struggled with covid outbreaks in 2020, Washington remained among the least infected in the league. After opening its doors to several thousand fans per game last November, the organization returned to a no fan policy by December as case counts rose throughout the region.
"Following the 2020 season, our organization was praised for its infection control approaches, and we now endeavor to build on this track record by providing a safe and fun 2021 gameday experience for our fans, the best in all of football," Wright said.
Washington says it will waive all single-game ticket fees for a 24-hour period, beginning at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12, when its 2021 schedule is released.
"I am hopeful that we can all come back to FedExField in the fall and watch our defending NFC East Champions make another playoff run," said Prince George's County Executive, Angela Alsobrooks. "And just like the players on the field, we must all continue to work as a team off the field to make sure all of our neighbors and loved ones get vaccinated."
"Maryland continues to make steady progress on our health and economic recovery and working with the Washington Football Team to get fans safely back to FedExField is an important part of that process," said Md. Governor Larry Hogan. "To help make that possible, I continue to encourage all eligible Marylanders who have not yet been vaccinated to go out and get your shot at one of the more than 3,000 points of distribution across our state."
