Will all sports be cancelled with Premier League and EFL football fixtures?
Sport’s governing bodies across the UK are free to make their own decisions about whether to continue following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96 on Thursday.
The UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport held a meeting on Friday morning and concluded that there was no obligation to cancel or postpone events this weekend, leaving the decisions to individual sports organisations.
Some have stepped in already to cancel their programme this weekend, such as the Premier League, Women’s Super League, and the English Football League.
The Scottish FA and Irish FA have also intervened by postponing matches as a mark of respect to the Queen.
However, the Great North Run is going ahead with its major race, and the St Leger in Doncaster will now be held on Sunday, owing to horse racing deciding to cancel its Saturday racecards.
Sportsmail provides all the details on what is going ahead, and what isn’t, this weekend following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in Balmoral.
Sports are announcing their weekend plans, or cancellations, after the death of the Queen
Football
There are widespread football cancellations across the home nations for this weekend.
In England, the Premier League has confirmed the cancellation of all 10 matches planned for this matchweek across Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The Premier League released a statement announcing the decision to postpone their fixtures
All EFL games across the Championship, League One and League Two have also been postponed for this weekend. It follows the initial cancellation of two fixtures on Friday.
The FA has cancelled all fixtures for this weekend, including the opening games of the new WSL season, as well as matches in the Barclay’s Women’s Championship, Women’s FA Cup and the FA Trophy.
The National League has also cancelled their programme of fixtures for Saturday and Sunday across steps one to six, the Women’s Football Pyramid has been canned from steps three to seven, and grassroots football matches in England have also been postponed to mark the death of the Queen.
The Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Women’s Premier League and Highland & Lowland Leagues have agreed that all professional football matches will be postponed this weekend as a mark of respect.
The Irish FA announced on Friday that all football in Northern Ireland scheduled for this weekend will not take place.
FA Wales have announced this weekend’s games have been postponed.
Europa League and Europa Conference League matches continued on Thursday with pre-match tributes at Old Trafford and the London Stadium.
The Premier League and English Football League have postponed this weekend’s fixtures
Cricket
Friday’s play between England and South Africa men at The Oval, along with all scheduled matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, will not take place.
Rugby Union
Northampton announced the postponement of their Premiership Rugby Cup clash against Saracens scheduled for Thursday evening. They also announced the cancellation of Friday’s match at Sale Sharks.
Bristol Bears against Bath Rugby has been postponed from Friday evening to a 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday, following the decision of the Premiership board.
The Scottish Rugby Union has postponed all domestic competitive games this weekend as a mark of respect and the women’s summer Test international between Scotland and Spain on Sunday is also off.
Rugby League
The RFL postponed Friday’s Betfred Championship fixture between Sheffield Eagles and Dewsbury Rams, but the first Super League elimination play-off between Catalans Dragons and Leeds will go ahead as it is taking place in Perpignan, France. Further announcements about the weekend’s fixtures at all levels were set to be made “as soon as possible”, the governing body said.
Golf
Play was suspended for the day at the BMW PGA Championship and there will be no play on Friday. They are rumoured to be considering restarting at the earliest opportunity, as reported in Sportsmail.
Horse racing
Horse racing was a much loved passion of the Queen. Events were cancelled for Friday and Saturday, while evening cards at Southwell and Chelmsford on Thursday were abandoned after the news of her death was confirmed around 6.30pm.
On Sunday, racing returns, led with the St Leger in a revised nine-race programme at Doncaster racecourse.
Sunday’s card at Chepstow in Wales will also proceed as normal, but Musselburgh in Scotland has been cancelled because the Queen’s body will be lying in rest in Edinburgh.
The Queen’s horse King’s Lynn has not been declared for the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh, Ireland, on Sunday, after being initially entered.
Athletics
The Great North Run, the world’s largest half-marathon, will take place on Sunday. Organisers cancelled its 5k sister event on Friday, but they have decided to go ahead with the major race, which could raise up to £25million for charities.
However, Richmond RUN-FEST has been postponed, because their route would take runners through two locations owned in part by Historic Royal Palaces and a floral tribute to Elizabeth in the Royal Borough’s Old Deer Park.
Cycling
The Tour of Britain was cancelled on Thursday evening. The final stages, set to finish in the Isle of Wight on Sunday, were unable to continue after police were recalled to London.
Boxing
The weigh-in for Saturday’s proposed bout between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields will take place behind closed doors. No announcement has yet been made about the weekend’s fight at The O2 in London.
Ice Hockey
Premier Sports Elite League Ice Hockey will begin tonight as previously planned, following a board meeting. Fixtures will start with a two-minute silence for the Queen, followed by the playing of the national anthem.
Sporting events continue around the world, and those outside the UK have made their own efforts to honour the remarkable reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Formula 1
The Italian Grand Prix at Monza will go ahead as scheduled, with a minute’s silence planned before first free practice on Friday, and another expected on the grid before the race at 2pm on Sunday.
Tennis
The US Open held a brief tribute to the Queen during the women’s semi-finals on Thursday night in New York. With Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski on either side of the net for the men’s double’s final on Friday, the pair are expected to wear black armbands to mark the Queen’s passing.