The EFL programme is set to recommence on Tuesday September 13 following The Queen’s death.
When and how football recommences depends on resources and the date of The Queen’s funeral, which must take place within 14 days of Friday, when a state of national mourning was declared.
Resourcing issues, particularly in respect of policing, are associated with some fixtures that will need to be discussed and resolved on a fixture-by-fixture basis over the period ahead.
Consideration to individual fixture circumstances will be made on a case-by-case basis, in line with usual protocols.
When will football at all levels return?
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Sky Sports News Senior Reporter Geraint Hughes explains when football may return as the United Kingdom mourns the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Sky Sports News senior reporter Geraint Hughes:
“We’re looking at next week as a working possibility. The expectation domestically is that the EFL will return on Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s a big week next week as there’s a full programme on Tuesday and Wednesday. There are caveats to this as we’re still awaiting the date of The Queen’s funeral.
“It will be a state funeral so it’ll be an enormous national and international event which will take a lot of resourcing and a lot of those resources may be needed for sporting events.
“In this case, The Queen’s funeral takes enormous precedence. UEFA-wise, a lot of matches next week involve British clubs with Champions League on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Europa League and Europa Conference League on Thursday.
“As it stands, the understanding from UEFA is that those games will go ahead. There has been a representation from Rangers and Police Scotland as well whereby they need to look at how the fixture with Napoli in the Champions League can go ahead.
“UEFA need these games to go ahead as there’s little room in the fixture list to get a lot of these games in to reach a certain stage before the World Cup break.
“The date of the funeral will have kickbacks on the football schedule, but as of now we don’t know when that will be.”
Man Utd’s Europa tie to go ahead
Manchester United have confirmed their UEFA Europa League game against FC Sheriff will take place as scheduled next week in Moldova.
“Following discussions with the relevant governing bodies and in line with guidance issued by the UK Government, we can confirm our UEFA Europa League fixture against FC Sheriff will take place as scheduled on Thursday evening in Moldova,” a statement reads.
“Match arrangements will remain the same for fans who are traveling to support the team in Chisinau.”
Sky Sports News understands discussions have been ongoing between UEFA and all the British teams in Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League competitions and all matches are expected to go ahead.
Rangers update fans on Napoli fixture next week
Rangers have announced that talks are ongoing with UEFA and Police Scotland about their Champions League fixture against Napoli at Ibrox on Tuesday.
Rangers’ Scottish Premiership fixture with Aberdeen on Saturday, which was due to be live on Sky Sports, has been postponed as English and Scottish football pay respect to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II by postponing all matches this weekend.
The Scottish Premiership side say they are “aware of policing and resource pressures” next week but say the game is going ahead at present.
Upcoming midweek fixtures
Champions League
Tuesday September 13
- Liverpool vs Ajax
- Rangers vs Napoli
- Sporting Lisbon vs Tottenham
Wednesday September 13
- Chelsea vs Red Bull Salzburg
- Shakhtar Donetsk vs Celtic
- Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
Europa League
Thursday September 15
- Arsenal vs PSV
- Sherriff Tiraspol vs Manchester United
Europa Conference League
Thursday September 15
- FK RFS vs Hearts
- Silkeborg vs West Ham
Sky Bet Championship
Tuesday September 13
- Blackburn Rovers vs Watford
- Huddersfield vs Wigan
- Hull vs Stoke
- Middlesbrough vs Cardiff
- Swansea vs Sheffield United
- Preston vs Burnley
Wednesday September 13
- Luton vs Coventry
- Millwall vs QPR
- Norwich vs Bristol City
- Rotherham vs Blackpool
- Reading vs Sunderland
- West Brom vs Birmingham
Sky Bet League One
Tuesday September 13
- Barnsley vs Port Vale
- Burton vs Portsmouth
- Charlton vs Forest Green
- Cheltenham vs Cambridge
- Ipswich vs Bristol Rovers
- Lincoln vs Derby
- MK Dons vs Bolton
- Morecambe vs Sheffield Wednesday
- Peterborough vs Fleetwood
- Plymouth vs Oxford
- Shrewsbury vs Exeter
- Wycombe vs Accrington
Sky Bet League Two
Tuesday September 13
- AFC Wimbledon vs Northampton
- Barrow vs Doncaster
- Crawley vs Stockport
- Grimsby vs Gillingham
- Harrogate vs Salford
- Hartlepool vs Crewe
- Mansfield vs Carlisle
- Rochdale vs Leyton Orient
- Stevenage vs Newport
- Swindon vs Sutton
- Tranmere vs Bradford
- Walsall vs Colchester