The Hungarian government insists it is “safe” for fans to attend Thursday’s Super Cup between Bayern Munich and Sevilla despite opposition saying they will be “experimental rabbits”.
Champions League winners Bayern face Europe League victors Sevilla at Budapest’s Puskas Arena.
The 67,000-capacity stadium can be a third full with strict hygiene measures in place for those attending the game.
It is the first major European match to feature fans since the Covid-19 crisis.
Both Bayern and Sevilla have been allocated 3,000 tickets for the match but far fewer of their fans will attend, with the majority coming from Hungary.
European football’s governing body Uefa say fans will be instructed to keep a distance of 1.5m from each other, wear masks and wash and disinfect their hands wherever possible.
They also have to undergo body temperature checks at the stadium and anyone over 37.8C will be refused entry.
Those supporters arriving from abroad will have to present a ticket and proof of a negative Covid-19 test which must have been conducted in the previous three days and they can only stay in the country for up to 72 hours.
The chief of staff for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the match will be “safer than almost any other gathering” with the measures that are in place but others are not convinced.
“This experiment is unacceptable,” said opposition Socialist deputy Ildiko Borbely.
“They use 14,000 compatriots as experimental rabbits to see how the coronavirus spreads at mass gatherings. We reject exposing Hungary to such danger.”
Epidemiologist Andras Csilek, who advises the Hungarian Medical Chamber, said the match carried unnecessary risk adding: “The Chamber also considers it wrong. It is a feel-good story, but I don’t think it should be allowed.”
Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder urged Bayern fans not to travel, saying the match could turn into a hotbed for Covid-19 to spread and also warned they could face quarantine on their return to Germany.
Both teams go into the match in tremendous form – Treble winners Bayern are unbeaten in 31 matches, while Sevilla have not suffered defeat in 21 games.
