British Anger as Soccer Canceled Following Queen's Death

Soccer fans have expressed their frustration after matches scheduled for this weekend have been canceled following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday.

The English and Welsh Football Association (FA) announced this week that all soccer matches will be postponed into next week as a mark of respect, while the Scottish FA has postponed only professional games.

In a statement, the FA said: "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. As a mark of respect, following the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, English football has united to postpone all football fixtures between 9-11 September."

The association explained this included games across the Barclays Women's Super League, Barclay's Women's Championship, the Vitality Women's FA Cup, the Isuzu FA Trophy, National League system, Steps 1-6, including the Vanarama National Leagues, the Women's Football Pyramid (WFP) and matches across grassroots soccer in England.

The Premier League and the EFLY also confirmed that this weekend's fixtures would be rescheduled. In a statement, the Premier League said: "At a meeting this morning, Premier League clubs paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To honor 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."

The FA confirmed that as a mark of respect, flags at London's Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park will continue to fly at half-mast over the weekend.

These decisions come during a wave of other events that have been canceled or postponed since the queen's death. A 48-hour strike by Royal Mail staff was canceled early on Friday while the Sandringham Game and County Fair, due to be held over the weekend, was also canceled shortly after the queen's death was announced.

Elsewhere in the U.K., the British Meteorological Office (Met Office) announced on Twitter that as a mark of respect during a time of national mourning, they would only be posting forecasts and warnings.

But despite the outpouring of grief and respect since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, many British people have expressed outrage at the decision to postpone soccer matches and the Met Office announcement.

One Twitter user sarcastically remarked that due to the queen's death, "the Met Office has canceled weather for the next 10 days."

"Is the weather disrespectful now?" quipped another British Twitter user. While another wrote: "The Queen is dead so weather must be canceled, that definitely makes sense."

The Met Office later said there appeared to have been confusion from its announcement that it would only be "posting daily forecasts and warnings."

"It appears many may have received the false impression that we'll only be communicating once a day, or one day at a time," a Met Office spokesman said in an email sent to Newsweek. "That wasn't our aim. In fact, it was always our intention to provide forecasts and warnings for the days ahead, which we will continue to post multiple times per day on Twitter.

"Clearly the weather forecast is vital to all of those in the UK who will base important decisions upon it; be those times of joy or national sadness."

The spokesman said that it was only extra information "such as statistics on extreme weather and other interesting content" that would be paused.

Sports fans in the U.K. expressed their frustrations over the decision to cancel matches due to the queen's death.

"Minutes silence and black armbands are enough. Don't postpone the premier league ffs," said one frustrated fan. Another wrote: "We had 96 years to ask the Queen if she really wanted all football fixtures called off the weekend after she died. Yet here we are. Absolute shambles."

Not all matches were canceled, however.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced that this weekend's matches will go ahead and said: "Rugby, at its heart, is about community and bringing people together, in good times and in sad."

Similarly, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that after canceling matches on Friday games over the weekend would proceed as planned. They said: "Cricket will resume on Saturday to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and honor her remarkable life and service."

One Twitter user said they genuinely did not understand why soccer matches were canceled while other games were going on as scheduled.

Earlier today, the U.K. Government issued guidance to the public following the death of the queen. According to this guidance, there is "no obligation" for events or sporting fixtures to be canceled, or for entertainment venues to be closed. This news has prompted yet more outrage from soccer fans as they look to a weekend without the sport.

"Just let football carry on and just sign the national anthem or give a minute of silence for her," suggested one person.

Another raging soccer fan wrote: "Football canceled what a stupid f***ing joke this country is."

Others questioned why soccer appeared to be treated differently with one Twitter user writing: "Why has all the football been canceled, But other sports are still going ahead?"

Across the U.K., cancelations of events from local carnivals to the Last Night of the Proms and Mercury Prize events continue to be announced prompting a mixed reaction from the public.

"We get no days off work, but strikes are canceled, carnival is canceled, and the British left is eulogizing the queen. An era of defeat truly," wrote one frustrated Twitter user.

Update on 09/09/2022 at 4.01 p.m. ET with comment from Met Office spokesman