Will Chelsea vs Salzburg be postponed?
The death of Queen Elizabeth II will also leave its mark on football. Today’s Europa League game between Manchester United and Real Sociedad is still going ahead as planned, but has already been opened with a minute’s silence. When Scottish club Heart of Midlothian played Istanbul, Başakşehir implemented a minute’s silence before the start of the second half. There was also silence before the game between Sturm Graz and Midtjylland.
It can be assumed that it WILL not stop there. As several English media reports, there will probably be no sporting events in Great Britain at the weekend. The protocol provides for a ten-day national mourning, at the end of which the funeral is to take place. There is currently also uncertainty for up to two match days of the Premier League (and other leagues) and the UEFA competitions – concrete statements are expected in the next few days. The Premier League is planning a meeting between the clubs for Friday morning, and important cricket games have already been canceled today. In any case, postponements would further complicate the already busy schedule due to the World Cup.
Uncertainty about the Salzburg game
The developments are also relevant for an Austrian club: Red Bull Salzburg would actually be in London next Wednesday in the Champions League Chelsea FC to guest. UEFA has yet to comment, but expecting the game to go ahead as planned and in front of a full stadium seems unrealistic at this point. For example, a later event or a game closed to the public would be conceivable.
The Queen’s grandson, Prince William, is President of the English Football Association – UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has already sent him a statement of condolences.
There is no precedent for dealing with international competitions during national mourning, unlike for national events. Two historical examples: after the death of George VI. – the father of Elizabeth II – in 1952, football was played, but not other sports. After the death of Princess Diana in 1997, a Premier League match scheduled for the day was postponed. As a result, more football games were rescheduled to avoid coinciding with the funeral.