Portland Timbers, Thorns increasing fan capacity to 80%, and proof of vaccination will be required

Larger crowds soon will be returning to Providence Park for Portland Timbers and Thorns games, and proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required for entry.

Fan capacity at the Portland soccer stadium will increase to 80% beginning with the Timbers’ June 19 match against Sporting Kansas City, the Timbers and Thorns announced Thursday. The first Thorns match for the increased capacity comes June 20 against KC NWSL.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required for all fans 16 and older. Fans must show a CDC vaccination card, a photocopy of the card or photo of the card on a mobile device. Fans also need to be at least two weeks past their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, or two weeks past their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Providence Park has been hosting fans since April at 15% capacity, or about 3,800 fans. At 80% capacity, that number jumps to about 20,000 fans at the 25,000-seat stadium.

“As our community continues the path back to normalcy, having our fans safely back in their seats in support of our clubs and each other is a moment that will be very special for us,” Timbers and Thorns president of business Mike Golub said in a statement. “Should the state meet the 70% vaccinated benchmark before June 19 as expected and we are allowed full capacity without restrictions, we will reevaluate the vaccine mandate, but in either event we will follow CDC guidance that continues to tout the safety of outdoor gatherings with high community vaccination rates.”

Masks will not be required, but will be encouraged in the stadium’s indoor spaces, the teams said. Fans 16 and under who are unvaccinated also are encouraged to wear masks.

Timbers and Thorns season-ticket holders will get their seats for the rest of the home regular-season matches. Single-match tickets will go on sale next week, the clubs said.