RIGA (Latvia) - Basketball fans will get to witness tomorrow's stars today and live after the Latvian Basketball Federation announced that spectators will be allowed to attend in-person games at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021 in Latvia but only if they fulfil COVID-19 regulations set forth by Latvian health officials and developed by FIBA.

Fans from Latvia and abroad wanting to watch games from July 3-11 in Daugavpils and Riga must present a COVID-19 certificate that is only considered valid if 14 days have passed since the person's second vaccination or if they have had a positive COVID-19 test in the last 180 days.

The COVID-19 certificate must also be valid in Latvia, which can be confirmed through the application "Covid19verify". The certificate must be in QR code format so that it can be scanned and confirmed. In addition, FIBA regulations require a face mask must be used at all times while in the arena and in your seat.

Tickets for the games will be available starting July 1 on the Latvian federation’s website here or the U19 World Cup event site www.fiba.basketball/world/u19/2021. It will not be possible to buy tickets at the competition venue.

Tickets will be available for each game separately. The competition arenas will need to be cleared between games to allow for cleaning and disinfection. Tickets will be personalized and their number is limited due to the capacity of the event facilities. There is a 400-person capacity for the Riga Olympic Centre,  including credentialed staff and media and FIBA officials. A maximum of 968 spectators will be allowed for games at the Daugavpils Olympic Centre. Local organizers are still determining how many spectators will be permitted for games at the Arena Riga from the Quarter-Finals and on.

Upon entering the competition arena, a ticket, an interoperable vaccination certificate and an identity document must be presented. The organizer of the competition has the right to deny entry to the competition arena to persons with signs of respiratory infection (fever, cough, shortness of breath).

Latvia hosted the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in 2011 as well as the FIBA U18 European Championship 2018.

FIBA