Motale: Masks won't work in football

South African fans will return to football stadiums for the first time since the national lockdown was introduced due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Tuesday's World Cup qualifier between Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia at FNB Stadium will mark the first time in almost two years where fans will be able to attend a live sporting event.

Dean Furman (59 caps, 4 goals) – Altrincham Town (National League, England)

Kgosi Ntlhe (1 cap, 0 goals) – Barrow FC (League Two, England)

Lebo Mothiba (15 caps, 4 goals) – Strasbourg (Ligue 1, France)

Bongani Zungu (32 caps, 5 goals) – Amiens (Ligue 2, France)

Gift Links (5 caps, 0 goals) – Aarhus (Superliga, Denmark)

Percy Tau (33 caps, 13 goals) – Al Ahly (Premier League, Egypt)

Lorenzo Gordinho (3 caps, 0 goals) – Viborg (Superliga, Denmark)

Luther Singh (13 caps, 3 goals) – FC Copenhagen (Superliga, Denmark)

Ayanda Patosi (12 caps, 3 goals) – Foolad (Persian Gulf Pro League, Iran)

Siyanda Xulu (11 caps, 1 goal) – Hapoel Tel Aviv (Ligat ha'AL, Israel)

Lars Veldwijk (8 caps, 0 goals) – Suwon FC (K League 1, South Korea)

Thibang Phete (1 cap, 0 goals) – Belenenses (Primeira Liga, Portugal)

Thulani Serero (44 caps, 2 goals) – Al Jazira (Pro League, UAE)

Kamohelo Mokotjo (24 caps, 0 goals) – FC Cincinnati (Major League Soccer, USA)

Lebo Phiri (8 caps, 2 goals) – Rizespor (Super Lig, Turkey)

Dino Ndlovu (8 caps, 1 goal) – Kocaelispor (1. Lig, Turkey)

Liam Jordan (4 caps, 0 goals) – Helsingor (First Division, Denmark)

Ryan Moon (8 caps, 1 goal) – Varbergs (Allsvenskan, Sweden)

Scroll through the gallery to see the 19 Bafana Bafana internationals who currently ply their trade abroad

Riyaad Norodien (4 caps, 1 goal) – Motema Pembe (Ligue 1, DR Congo)

A collaboration between the South African Football Association (SAFA) and the government has made it possible that a pilot project with a limited number of 2 000 tickets has been made available for fully vaccinated fans.

Former national team crowd favourite Edward Motale still has a few concerns regarding fans returning to stadiums.

"Two thousand fans is not even a quarter of the capacity number of the stadium.

"I just want to see how are they going to place the fans. Because if there's going to be a space of two seats, three seats I'm not sure there'll be enough noise.

"But football people no matter how you place them, five minutes into the game there'll be no social distancing. I'm not sure they will be able to wear masks for the whole 90 minutes. Even in a restaurant, once you step inside you take off your mask.

"Wearing masks won't work in football and I'm sure about that. You will see for yourself some will have them hanging around their necks, some on their foreheads. I'm sure about that.

"Well it's good that they are slowly opening the gates for people but the wearing of masks is not going work. I'm sure even tomorrow the first photo we going to see in the media will be of someone with a mask hanging around his neck."

Kick-off at 18:00.