Premier League, WSL and EFL weekend games off

All this weekend’s English football matches have been postponed after the Queen’s death as a mark of respect. The news was announced at 11.30am BST despite official guidance to sports telling them there was no obligation to postpone fixtures during the official mourning period.

The cancellation of English football is total, meaning the Women’s Super League will not start as scheduled and no grassroots matches will be played. A statement from the Scottish Football Association said “all professional football matches” in Scotland would be postponed.

Saturday’s St Leger horse racing at Doncaster has been pushed back to Sunday. However cricket and golf are hopeful of resuming on Saturday, with the England and Wales Cricket Board board meeting later to confirm whether England’s third Test against South Africa will go ahead. If the BMW International at Wentworth resumes it is likely to be a 54-hole tournament.

There is also an expectation that after the publication of official guidance, rugby league at all levels will also go ahead this weekend – including the Super League play-off on Saturday.

The Premier League said its decision had come after a meeting of its clubs in which tributes were paid to the Queen.

“To honour her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a mark of respect, this weekend’s Premier League match round will be postponed, including Monday evening’s game,” it said.

The league’s chief executive, Richard Masters, said: “We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country. As our longest-serving monarch, she has been an inspiration and leaves behind an incredible legacy following a life of dedication.

“This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her, and we join together with all those in mourning her passing.”

The English Football League confirmed that its fixtures on Saturday as well as Friday would be postponed “as a mark of respect by the national sport to the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II”. No EFL matches were scheduled for Sunday.

“This is aligned with the approach that the Premier League and the FA will take with their competitions this weekend,” it added. ”Further information, in respect of how football, clubs and their supporters will commemorate Her Majesty’s reign will be confirmed at an appropriate point.”

Earlier the government told the Premier League and other sports that this weekend’s action could go ahead but left the decision up to them.

The St Leger meeting will be a nine-race card to ensure that Britain’s oldest Classic and other important races lost as result of the cancellations can take place. The fixture scheduled for Musselburgh racecourse on Sunday will be cancelled as a mark of respect for the fact that the Queen’s body will be lying in rest in Edinburgh.

The Great North Run has announced that it will go ahead on Sunday. In a statement explaining its decision it said: “The event has traditionally been a celebration of the extraordinary achievements of ordinary people, this year it will be an opportunity for us to come together and express our condolences, while celebrating the life of our extraordinary Queen.

“The thousands of runners taking part are expected to raise an estimated £25m pounds in much needed charitable donations, a fitting tribute to the Queen, who lived her life in the service of our country and its people.”

However another major grassroots event, the Richmond Runfest, has had to postpone its event as it goes through two locations owned in part by Historic Royal Palaces. “This weekend was to be a celebration of months of training, fundraising and personal dedication,” it said in a statement. “However it is with broken hearts that we are having to postpone.”

The major sports held a meeting with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in a call at 9.30am, before the official guidance was publicly released.

It told the sports: “There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures, or close entertainment venues during the National Mourning period. This is at the discretion of individual organisations.

“As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations.

“If sporting fixtures or events are planned for the day of the State Funeral, organisations may want to adjust the event timings so they do not clash with the timings of the funeral service and associated processions,” it adds.

“As a mark of respect, and in keeping with the tone of National Mourning, organisers may wish to hold a period of silence and/or play the National Anthem at the start of events or sporting fixtures, and players may wish to wear black armbands.”

The Irish Football Association announced that all football in Northern Ireland scheduled for this weekend would not take place.

Reports /TrainViral/