The Carabao Cup final could now be played in front of supporters after the EFL pushed for the match to be included in a schedule of test events for the return of fans.
The EFL's showpiece final, which will be contested by Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, was originally excluded from the list of pilots, but the league's chairman Rick Parry has kept up a determined campaign, which sources say is bearing fruit.
The government is planning to test how spectators and audiences can safely attend sport, business and cultural events in April and May, as the country follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson's roadmap to easing coronavirus restrictions.