Premier League calls off weekend matches as sporting world pays tribute to The Queen
9 September 2022, 10:36 | Updated: 9 September 2022, 14:17
Premier League and EFL chiefs have cancelled this weekend's football following the death of The Queen.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
A meeting between sport bodies and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport took place this morning.
The Government informed sport bodies that they were under no obligation to cancel scheduled games.But the decision has been made to call off the weekend's Premier League and EFL matches after The Queen died yesterday, aged 96.
Earlier Championship clash between Norwich and Burnley was cancelled while Premier League and Football League authorities have confirmed that this weekend's football fixtures will not go ahead.
However, the government has said the final decision on whether or not scheduled sports events should go ahead this weekend is up to the sports themselves.
Today's racing at Chester, Doncaster, Sandown and Salisbury have been cancelled while there will be no play at the BMW PGA Championship golf at Wentworth and stage six of the Tour of Britain cycling race will also not go ahead.
The PGA championship is expected to resume on Saturday.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced that planned strikes on 15 and 17 September will be cancelled as a mark of respect. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association has also called off planned strikes in September.
The second day of postal strikes by Royal Mail workers that was due to take place today has also been cancelled as a mark of respect.
Read more: Queen died 'with Charles and Anne' at her bedside as other Royals rushed in vain to be by her side
Tonight's schedule for the Proms has been cancelled, as well as the Last Night of the Proms, which was scheduled to take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday
The Mercury Music Prize ceremony, which was due to take place today.
Theatre performances across the UK are expected to continue, while observing a minutes silence as a mark of respect.
Schools have been advised to remain open in an email from the Department for Education, according to Schools Week, the email said “normal attendance is expected”, but “headteachers continue to have the power to authorise leaves of absence for pupils in exceptional circumstances”.
However, schools are expected to be closed on the day of the Queen's funeral, Monday September 19 as the funeral day is expected to be declared a bank holiday.
