New anti-virus measures introduced by Bavarian health authorities mean that fans will not be permitted at the legs in Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

They are respectively scheduled to take place on December 29 and January 1.

Attendance at sporting events in Germany has been capped at 15,000 because of the country's rising COVID-19 infection rate, but individual states have the opportunity to impose more strict restrictions.

Bavaria, where both Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen are, has done so, banning fans altogether.

"It's a shame, because we have already developed a special protocol," Oberstdorf Organising Committee head Florian Stern said.

Michael Maurer, the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Organising Committee chief, said organisers were "flexible and would be able to start ticket sales again within a few hours, even if it would be shortly before Christmas," should the blanket ban on spectator be lifted.

The Four Hills Tournament is a collection of four ski jumping contests, also encompassing World Cup legs on the large hills in Innsbruck and Bischofshofen.

Only four more Ski Jumping World Cup legs are scheduled before the 70th Four Hills Tournament begins.

Poland's Kamil Stoch - the back-to-back Olympic champion on the large hill - won last season's Four Hills Tournament.