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Discussions taking place over Wembley staging test events for fan return

The Carabao Cup final was moved to April 25 to give supporters the best opportunity to attend.

Conversations are taking place over the return of supporters and Wembley is expected to be used for test events, but no announcement is imminent.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out a road map for how the UK will come out of its current national lockdown on Monday.

Fans were last allowed into sports grounds in December and spectators being welcomed into venues again should become more clearer next week.

The Carabao Cup final on April 25 has long been a target for the return of supporters, with the showpiece event at Wembley moved back from its original date of February 28.

At the time, the EFL confirmed the switch had occurred to "give clubs and their fans the best opportunity to attend in person."

Tentative conversations continue to take place over spectators being allowed into Wembley for the match between Manchester City and Tottenham, but nothing has been determined over whether it will definitely be a test event for the return of supporters.

The FA Cup final on May 15 is another potential pilot event and both fixtures could act as a test event for the new Olympic Steps at the 90,000-seater stadium.

Work to replace the pedestrian walk which marks the approach to Wembley started in 2020 and a match at limited capacity will be required to test the completed work.

If test events with fans for the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals were a success, it would open the door for supporters to attend fixtures at this summer's European Championships.

Other major sporting events in the UK later this year are also being earmarked to entertain spectators and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport remain committed to the return of fans with mass testing and the success of the vaccine rollout adding to a growing optimism that fans could be back in sporting venues soon.

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Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina21131246
JapanJapan175830
United StatesUnited States16171346
Olympics flagOlympic Athletes from Russia11151137
AustraliaAustralia1031427
Great BritainGreat Britain891128
Today's Olympic highlights header

Sunday's key events


GOLF
ยท The men's golf reaches its conclusion, with plenty of players still in medal contention. Home favourite Hideki Matsuyama is one shot off Xander Schauffele's lead, while Great Britain's Paul Casey is another shot further back and Tommy Fleetwood is also in the mix (11.30pm-8am)

CYCLING - BMX
ยท Great Britain have already made history in the BMX events in Tokyo, something Charlotte Worthington and Declan Brooks will be looking to add to in the women's (2.10am) and men's (3.10am) freestyle finals

SWIMMING
ยท The final day of swimming action begins with the men's 50m freestyle final. Ben Proud could add to a medal-laden Games in the pool for Team GB so far, although he is up against USA's Caeleb Dressel, who is going for his fourth gold in Tokyo (2.30am)
ยท From sprint to endurance, Great Britain's second medal hope of the day comes through Daniel Jervis in the men's 1500m freestyle final (2.44am)
ยท Team GB will again be among the heavy favourites for gold in the last swimming event of the Games - the men's 4x100m medley relay final - having won the mixed event in a world record time on Saturday (3.36am)

BOXING
ยท Already guaranteed at least a bronze, Pat McCormack takes part in the men's welterweight semi-final against Ireland's Aidan Walsh with a spot in the gold medal final at stake (4.03am)
ยท Ben Whittaker is also in the semi-finals of the men's light heavyweight and will be looking to continue Team GB's success in the ring (4.51am)

TENNIS
ยท There will be a surprise on the top of the men's tennis podium after Novak Djokovic missed out on a medal altogether. Alexander Zverev takes on Karen Khachanov in the second match on Centre Court at the Ariake Tennis Park (7am-2pm)

SAILING
ยท Alison Young will be going for gold in the women's laser radial medal race (7.33am)

ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
ยท Team GB's Max Whitlock will look to defend his 2016 Olympic title in the men's pommel horse final (10.41am)

ATHLETICS
ยท The men's high jump final includes GB's Tom Gale, although his chances of a medal look bleak (11.10am)
ยท So often the blue-riband event of the Olympics, the men's 100m final takes place as the world's fastest bid to be crowned Usain Bolt's successor. Three Brits have made it into the semi-finals (11.15am-11.32am), and the final looks wide open after an underwhelming display by favourite Trayvon Bromell on Saturday (1.50pm)

HOCKEY
ยท Great Britain face India in the men's quarter-final (1pm)

> Today's schedule in full
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