Soccer: Premier League suspends games in response to Queen Elizabeth II’s death

Fans honored Queen Elizabeth II with a moment of silence before a UEFA Europa League soccer match between Manchester United and Real Sociedad on Thursday in Manchester, England. Photo by Peter Powell/EPA-EFE

Sept. 9 (UPI) — All Premier League matches scheduled for this weekend are postponed “as a mark of respect” following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the English soccer league announced Friday.

The Premier League said that teams decided on the move Friday morning during a meeting. Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday at her Balmoral estate in Scotland. She was 96.

The move will impact 10 games, including six set for Saturday, three Sunday and another Monday. The new dates for those games will be announced later.

“We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country,” Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in a news release.

“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.”

Queen Elizabeth II greets Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 6, 2022. The queen asked Truss to form a new administration. Truss accepted and was appointed prime minister and first lord of the treasury. Photo courtesy of The Royal Family/Twitter

The Football Association (FA) — the governing body for English soccer — also announced Friday that all games scheduled from Friday through Sunday will be postponed.

The Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship, the Vitality Women’s FA Cup and the FA Trophy schedules will be impacted by that move.

The FA also said that flags will be flown at half-mast over the weekend at London’s Wembley Stadium and at its St. George’s Park.

“Her Majesty the Queen was a long-standing patron of the Football Association and has left a lasting and indelible legacy on our national game,” the FA said in a news release.