Arsenal’s Europa League match against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday has been postponed with police resources in London stretched after the death of Queen Elizabeth II last week.
Uefa confirmed on Monday that a new date for the match will be communicated in due course.
European football’s governing body said the postponement was due “to the severe limitations on police resources and organisational issues related to the continuing events surrounding the national mourning for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”.
The PA news agency reported that Chelsea’s home Champions League match against Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday will go ahead as planned, while the midweek EFL programme is unaffected.
Arsenal released a statement which read: “The postponement follows liaison between Uefa, the Metropolitan Police and ourselves, after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“We are working with the authorities to reschedule the match and any tickets purchased for this fixture will be valid for the rescheduled date.”
The postponement of a match in London on Thursday would appear to place serious doubt over Premier League and EFL matches taking place in the capital on Saturday and Sunday.
In the Premier League, Tottenham are due to host Leicester on Saturday evening while Brentford host Arsenal and Chelsea are at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
In Scotland, Rangers’ Champions League tie with Napoli has been put back a day to Wednesday, September 14, due to “severe limitations on police resources and organisational issues”.
However, professional domestic football in the country will resume this weekend, the Scottish Football Association said on Monday. The Football Association of Wales said all its competitions can resume from Tuesday.
All EFL matches scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday are set to go ahead, with clubs planning to pay tribute to the Queen.
Gallery: Queen Elizabeth II sporting memories
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Queen Elizabeth II leading her Oaks winner Carrozza in with Lester Piggott in the saddle at Epsom in 1957. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II with the England rugby squad at a reception at Buckingham Palace in London to celebrate winning the World Cup in 2003. AFP -
Queen Elizabeth hands Virginia Wade the winner's trophy on Centre Court at Wimbledon in 1977. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II in the winner's enclosure with her horse Expansive, who was victorious in the Ribblesdale Stakes with Willie Carson in the saddle in 1979. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II presents the Jules Rimet Trophy to England captain Bobby Moore after their victory over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley Stadium. AFP -
Queen Elizabeth II meets former England captain David Beckham at Buckingham Palace in 2018 in London, England, as part of the Young Leaders Programme. Getty -
Andy Murray and Jarkko Nieminen meet Queen Elizabeth II after their match at Wimbledon in 2010. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip drive through a crowd of athletes and officials during the closing ceremony of the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia. AP -
Queen Elizabeth II meets Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki at Wimbledon in 2010. Getty -
England captain Will Carling introduces Queen Elizabeth to the England team before the Rugby World Cup final against Australia at Twickenham in 1991. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth with jockey Frankie Dettori who won the Gold Cup on Stradivarius at Royal Ascot in 2019. Reuters -
Kadeena Cox, who won two gold medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, with Queen Elizabeth II at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Queen's baton relay event at Buckingham Palace. AP -
Queen Elizabeth II unveils a bronze statue of nine-time Derby winning jockey Lester Piggott, who is standing next to her, at the Epsom Derby Festival in 2019. AFP -
Blackpool captain Harry Johnston leading his team up to the Royal Box at Wembley Stadium to receive the FA Cup from Queen Elizabeth II after they beat Bolton Wanderers 4-3 in 1953. It was the first football match that the Queen had attended. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother watching the 1994 Derby at Epsom Racecourse. PA -
British boxer James Degale is presented with an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2009. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II with other members of the Royal family after watching her horse Choir Boy win the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot in 1953. PA -
Queen Elizabeth II during a state visit to the United States, visiting Memorial Stadium to watch the Baltimore Orioles play the Oakland Athletics, alongside US President George Bush, in 1991. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth II with Frankie Dettori after the jockey won the Gold Cup on Stradivarius at Royal Ascot in 2018. Getty -
Rod Laver of Australia is presented with the winner's trophy by Queen Elizabeth II after beating Martin Mulligan in the final of Wimbledon in 1962. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth II with jockey Tom Queally after he won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes Cup on The Tin Man in 2017. EPA -
Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth II meeting the Cambridge team before an Oxford v Cambridge rugby match at Twickenham in 1972. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth II watches as the Virginia Wade celebrates winning WImbledon on the centre court in 1977. Wade had just beaten Betty Stove of the Netherlands in the final. Getty -
Queen Elizabeth II shaking hands with footballer George Cohen at Wembley before England's first group game of the 1966 World Cup. Gordon Banks stands next to Cohen. Getty
“A minute’s silence will be held before matches, with black armbands to be worn by participants, flags to be flown at half-mast and the national anthem to be played in stadiums,” the EFL said in a statement.
There has been plenty of conjecture since the postponement of the weekend’s Premier League fixtures about how Liverpool fans, some of whom have regularly booed the national anthem at recent finals and the FA Community Shield, would respond to a show of respect for the monarchy.
However, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp insists the club’s fans do not need any advice on observing a minute’s silence in memory of the Queen.
The club have asked Uefa to be able to mark the occasion of the Queen’s death ahead of their Champions League home match with Ajax.
Klopp said it should not even be a subject for debate. “I think it is the right thing to do, but I don’t think our people need any kind of advice from me for showing respect,” he said.
“There are plenty of examples where people showed exactly the right respect; one which surprised me and I was really proud of that moment was last season when we played Manchester United around a very sad situation with Cristiano Ronaldo’s family [fans applauded in sympathy following the death of his newborn son].
“And that is what I expect. For me, it is clear that’s what we have to do. That’s it.”
