LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)— German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday raised fears about the potential for close-contact spread of the coronavirus when London hosts the semi-finals and finals of the European football championships.

Wembley Stadium in the British capital is hosting the final matches of the competition, with a reduced capacity of up to 60,000.

But that far exceeds other venues, particularly in Germany, with concern widespread about the transmission of the more virulent Delta strain of the virus.

“We in Germany, as you know, decided to have fewer people attend games in the Munich stadium,” Merkel told a joint press conference with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on her farewell visit to Britain.

“The British government, obviously, will take its own decision. But I’m very much concerned whether it’s not a bit too much.”

Scottish health authorities on Thursday said nearly 2,000 COVID cases in the country since June 11 were linked to fans watching the Euros.

Two-thirds — well over 1,000 — were a result of fans travelling to London to watch Scotland play England in the tournament’s group stage.

Merkel met Johnson at his Chequers country retreat northwest of London, on her 22nd and final visit to Britain as chancellor before stepping down after elections in September.

The two leaders swapped a good-natured exchange after England knocked Germany out of the European tournament, with Merkel wishing the English team success in the remainder.

She indicated a potential softening in Germany’s stance towards travellers from Britain, after concern that even the vaccinated could face European travel curbs.

Last month, Merkel called for tough restrictions, including longer quarantine, for people travelling from Britain, where the Delta variant has caused a surge in cases.

But she indicated that stance could soften as travel advice is reviewed.

“We think that in the foreseeable future, those who have received double jabs will… be able to travel again, without having to go into quarantine,” she said.

Merkel’s comment will raise hopes in Britain, where some two-thirds of all adults have now received two COVID vaccine doses but anger is growing at travel restrictions.

Johnson again hailed the country’s mass vaccination programme as a success, as he looks to lift all social distancing measures in England from July 19.

He said he was “confident” that travel restrictions from Britain “will not prove to be a problem”.