Football postponed as a mark of respect to Her Majesty The Queen – but other high profile sporting events are still taking place

Elizabeth II’s death at the age of 96 was announced by Buckingham Palace yesterday evening.

Within hours of the announcement, the England and Wales Cricket Board quickly confirmed day two of the deciding Test at the Oval would not take place, but said this afternoon that play would resume on Saturday following Government guidance.

The official mourning guidance, which was published by the Government this morning, stated there was no obligation on sports organisations to cancel or postpone events.

As such, the Great North Run will go ahead on Sunday, as will Premiership Rugby fixtures, Super League games and the BMW PGA Championship golf tournament.

However, the UK’s football authorities have decided to postpone all fixtures planned for this weekend as a mark of respect to the Queen.

That doesn’t just mean Pompey’s League One trip to Yorkshire to play Barnsley is off, but also all local non-league and children’s grassroots games.

The most attractive fixture locally to be called off is Havant & Waterlooville’s home game with Ebbsfleet United - a game between the top two sides in the National League South.

It is understood the Premier League’s decision to postpone this weekend’s matches was entirely as a mark of respect rather than security considerations.

A decision on next weekend’s Premier League games will be made in due course but some or even all of them could yet be affected by policing requirements in London and elsewhere related to the State Funeral. No date has been fixed for that occasion yet.

The next round of games after that will not take place until October 1, with an international break beginning from September 19.

Matches in the EFL and the Women’s Super League this weekend have been called off, along with all matches at all levels in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who was involved in Friday’s meetings with Government, told the PA news agency: ‘This is a great example of football working in unity. We (the football authorities) all absolutely 100 per cent agree this was the right thing to do to pay our respects.’

However, many other sporting occasions will go ahead and offer spectators and participants to pay their respects at venues.

The Football Supporters’ Association issued a statement saying there was no perfect decision, but added many supporters would see this was ‘an opportunity missed’ for them to pay their respects at matches this weekend.

Cricket at international, domestic and recreational level will resume from Saturday, the ECB said.

‘Before each match, a minute’s silence will be observed followed by the national anthem,’ the governing body said in a statement.

‘All players and coaches will wear black armbands. Branded inventory will be replaced with messaging paying cricket’s respects to the Queen.’

Premiership Rugby fixtures scheduled for Friday have been postponed, but matches will take place on Saturday and Sunday.

Tonight’s match between Bristol and Bath has been moved to Saturday at 5.30pm, while Sale versus Northampton will now kick off at 3.00pm on Sunday.

Rugby league matches at all levels will go ahead as planned this weekend, as will the Great North Run.

The race’s founder, Brendan Foster, said: ‘We’re aiming to have tens of thousands of people coming together, but the mood will be very different.

‘They will be coming together to pay tribute to our great Queen, which is absolutely right.

‘We’re planning and working hard now to organise the event in a manner that it pays tribute, is respectful and gives these people a chance to express their own feelings and also continue to raise money for charities, and to take part in an event they have trained for months and years for.’

The first day’s play at the PGA Championship golf at Wentworth was cut short on Thursday when news of the Queen’s death was announced and today’s play was cancelled, but organisers confirmed the tournament would resume on Saturday as a 54-hole event.