Football fans won’t be allowed in stadiums and Hogmanay events will be cancelled as Nicola Sturgeon imposes new restrictions in Scotland from Boxing Day.

Making a statement in the Scottish Parliament, the first minister said crowds at outdoor public events will be capped at 500 from Boxing Day for at least three weeks, while numbers at indoor public events are to be limited to 100 standing or 200 seated.

The restrictions do not apply to private events such as weddings.

Indoor hospitality venues will also return to table service from 27 December for up to three weeks and no more than three households will be able to sit in one group.

Ms Sturgeon said the restrictions will be reviewed at the end of the first week of January.

“From 27 December, again for a three-week period – we intend to introduce some further protections in hospitality settings and other indoor public places to reduce transmission risk in what are, through no fault of those who run such venues, higher-risk environments,” she told MSPs

“I can confirm that a requirement for table service-only will be reintroduced for venues serving alcohol for consumption on the premises.

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“And we will also ask indoor hospitality and leisure venues to ensure one-metre distance, not within, but between groups of people who are attending together.”

Ms Sturgeon said she would not be changing the advice for Christmas, but urged people to be cautious when mixing with others.

She added that this year’s Christmas will be “more normal” than last year’s despite the newly announced restrictions – but urged those in Scotland to “minimise Hogmanay socialising as much as you can”.

Scotland’s first minister said the decision for live sports to be “effectively spectator-free” for three weeks has been made to cut down transmission of the Omicron coronavirus variant and because “large events put an additional burden on emergency services”.

“It will also mean that large-scale Hogmanay celebrations, including that planned here in our capital city, will not proceed,” she said.

“I know how disappointing this will be for those looking forward to these events, and for the organisers of them.”

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