Gov. Abbott: Texas Stadiums Will Be Able to Seat 50% Capacity

In accordance with Texas' "Phase 3" of reopening the state, Gov. Greg Abbott announced late Wednesday that the professional and collegiate sports stadium limit will be raised from 25% to 50% capacity, effective immediately.

This order comes just three days after Texas broke the single-day high of positive COVID-19 tests. The Locomotive FC will return to the pitch starting July 11, as United Soccer League’s Board of Governors passed a return to play model for the season. However, El Paso also saw its largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.

“Stadiums, whether it be where the Mavericks play or the Texas Rangers play or the Dallas Cowboys play, will be able to seat [at] 50% capacity,” Abbott explained to KDFW-TV.

Sports like IndyCar and the PGA Tour will return over the next two weeks in Texas without fans, though. Other major sports leagues—NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS—are still figuring out the safest return-to-play scenarios for their respective leagues. Some believe that most major sports leagues won't allow fans in attendance regardless of the state's orders.

At the college level, universities in Texas have begun return-to-campus initiatives for voluntary workouts.

There has been no word in El Paso on whether fans will be allowed into stadiums at the 50% capacity limit.