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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96
Premier League clubs expect this weekend's round of fixtures to be postponed
There is a full round of fixtures scheduled, running from Saturday to Monday
The sporting schedule is set to be heavily affected after the death of the Queen
Manchester United's Europa League tie on Thursday night still went ahead
Arsenal held a minute's silence after half time of their European match in Zurich
Golfing action at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth is now suspended
There will also be no cricket action between England and South Africa on Friday
The Queen's funeral: All the latest Royal Family news and coverage

By Matt Hughes and Mike Keegan For The Daily Mail

Published: 15:47 EDT, 8 September 2022 | Updated: 05:19 EDT, 9 September 2022

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Premier League officials are set to decide whether top flight matches will go ahead on Friday morning following the death of Her Majesty The Queen after holding talks with the Government on Thursday night.

Sportsmail understands many top-flight clubs are expecting this weekend's fixtures to be postponed with an announcement expected early on Friday morning - with the Premier League holding a meeting at 11am.

The organisation's chief executive Richard Masters has told clubs that government guidance is unlikely to be 'definitive' and that they will have to make their own decisions with regards to fixtures.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will hold a call with all major sports at 9.30am to determine what will happen to the rest of this weekend's calendar.

Almost all of Friday's sporting programme was called off on Thursday night as a mark of respect, including day two of England's Test match against South Africa, golf's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and all racing, the Queen's favourite sport.

Friday's EFL fixtures — Burnley v Norwich and Tranmere v Stockport — have also been postponed.

The rest of the football pyramid is likely to follow the lead set by the Premier League.

The Irish FA has already announced that all football in Northern Ireland scheduled for this weekend will not take place.

Her Majesty the Queen - Britain's longest-reigning monarch - has died peacefully at Balmoral aged 96. Her son Charles, is now king.

Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96, with the British sporting schedule set to halt

Premier League clubs believe this weekend's games are 'almost certain' to be postponed

A cancellation of the entire programme would create fixture congestion later in the season as there are no free midweeks between now and the mid-winter break for the World Cup, which begins in Qatar just seven days after the Premier League pauses.

The Champions League looks set to continue next week whatever happens this weekend, as Manchester United's Europa League tie against Real Sociedad went ahead on Thursday night following guidance from UEFA.

The Aviva Stadium in Dublin, meanwhile, has been mooted as a possible venue for English teams to play European matches if there is a UK sport blackout.

There are no fixtures scheduled for the date of the funeral on September 19 as that is the start of the international break.

The Premiership rugby season is due to begin on Friday night with games between Bristol and Bath, and Sale and Northampton, with a decision on those fixtures expected on Friday morning.

Northampton v Saracens in the Premiership Rugby Cup was postponed on Thursday night, an announcement which was followed by the Premiership chief executives holding talks with the RFU over how to proceed.

'On behalf of the rugby union community in England, all at the RFU are very saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and offer our condolences to the Royal Family at this time,' the RFU said.

There is due to be a full round of fixtures in the top flight from Saturday to Monday evening

The rugby league Super League play-off between Catalans Dragons and Leeds Rhinos in Perpignan on Friday night is set to go ahead.

The second day of England's final Test match of the summer against South Africa was called off following a first day washout at the Oval, although the ECB did not confirm any plans for the remainder of the game.

A four-day Test could begin on Saturday, with a final decision resting on the outcome of further talks with the Government and a more sober assessment of the evolving public mood.

‘Friday’s play between England and South Africa Men at the Oval, along with all scheduled matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, will not take place,’ the ECB said in a statement.

Manchester United's Europa League tie against Real Sociedad went ahead as planned on Thursday night but there was a minute's silence before kick-off

Play was also suspended until further notice at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth

All of Friday’s racing, including day three of the Doncaster St Leger meeting, was cancelled.

Thursday night’s meetings at Chelmsford and Southwell were also abandoned.

A decision on whether racing will resume on Saturday when the feature race is the St Leger, the final Classic of the Flat season, at Doncaster will be made on Friday.

The authorities are also set to discuss the racing programme during the period of national mourning leading up to the Queen’s funeral.

Poignantly, the Queen’s colours just missed out on being carried to victory on Thursday, when her Michael Bell-trained filly Improvise was beaten a short-head in the final race at Epsom.

WHICH SPORTING EVENTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE QUEEN?

Football

The Premier League have announced that all of this weekend's matches have been postponed to honour Queen Elizabeth II following her death at the age of 96 on Thursday.

The FA confirmed all football across the country would also be called off, including the EFL and opening games of the new WSL season, as well as matches in the Barclay's Women's Championship, Women's FA Cup and the FA Trophy.

The National League has also cancelled their programme of fixtures for Saturday and Sunday across steps one to six and grassroots football matches in England have also been postponed to mark the death of the Queen.

The Government earlier advised that no sporting events should go ahead this weekend - or on the day of the Queen's funeral - but left the final decision up to the individual organisations.

The Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Women's Premier League and Highland & Lowland Leagues have agreed that all professional football matches will be postponed this weekend as a mark of respect.

FA Wales have announced that games from the 9th to the 12th of September have been postponed.

Manchester United's Europa League clash with Real Sociedad at Old Trafford and West Ham's game against FCSB in the Europa Conference League at the London Stadium went ahead on Thursday evening with pre-match tributes.

The Northern Ireland Football League announced that Friday night's matches between Cliftonville and Glentoran and Larne and Dungannon have been postponed.

The English Football League also confirmed that Friday night's Championship game between Burnley and Norwich and the League Two match between Tranmere and Stockport had been postponed, with a decision on Saturday's fixtures yet to be made.

The Irish FA has announced that all football in Northern Ireland scheduled for this weekend will not take place.

All of the Premier League 2 fixtures have been cancelled, as well as the Championship match between Burnley and Norwich.

Tonight’s League Two fixture between Tranmere Rovers and Stockport County has also been postponed.

Cricket

Friday's play between England and South Africa men at The Oval, along with all scheduled matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, will not take place.

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Friday that all cricket would resume on Saturday - including England's Test against South Africa and England Women's T20 match against India.

Rugby Union

Northampton announced the postponement of their Premiership Rugby Cup clash against Saracens scheduled for Thursday evening.

The Scottish Rugby Union has postponed all domestic competitive games this weekend as a mark of respect and the women's summer Test international between Scotland and Spain on Sunday is also off.

Bristol Bears against Bath Rugby has been postponed from Friday evening to a 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday, following the decision of the Premiership board. The rest of the Saturday Premiership Rugby matches will go ahead.

Rugby League

The RFL postponed Friday's Betfred Championship fixture between Sheffield Eagles and Dewsbury Rams, but the first Super League elimination play-off between Catalans Dragons and Leeds will go ahead as it is taking place in Perpignan, France.

Further announcements about the weekend's fixtures at all levels were set to be made 'as soon as possible', the governing body said.

Golf

Play was suspended for the day at the BMW PGA Championship and there will be no play on Friday.

However, organisers later revealed they are planning to restart at Wentworth this weekend, awaiting guidance from Buckingham Palace.

Formula 1

Sunday's Italian Grand Prix will go ahead as scheduled with a minute's silence planned before practice on Friday and another expected before the race.

Boxing

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) stated that all fights on Friday would not go ahead as planned.

The undisputed middleweight showdown between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall at the 02 Arena has been postponed until October 15.

Tennis

The US Open held a brief tribute to the Queen during the women's semi-finals on Thursday night in New York. With Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski on either side of the net for the men's double's final on Friday, the pair are expected to wear black armbands to mark the Queen's passing.

Horse racing

Horse racing was a much loved passion of the Queen. Events were cancelled for Friday and Saturday, while evening cards at Southwell and Chelmsford on Thursday were abandoned after the news of her death was confirmed around 6.30pm.

On Sunday, racing returns, led with the St Leger in a revised nine-race programme at Doncaster racecourse.

Sunday's card at Chepstow in Wales will also proceed as normal, but Musselburgh in Scotland has been cancelled because the Queen's body will be lying in rest in Edinburgh.

The Queen's horse King’s Lynn has not been declared for the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh, Ireland, on Sunday, after being initially entered.

Athletics

The Great North Run, the world's largest half-marathon, will go ahead on Sunday. Organisers cancelled its 5k sister event on Friday.

Richmond RUN-FEST has been postponed, because their route would take runners through two locations owned in part by Historic Royal Palaces and a floral tribute to Elizabeth in the Royal Borough's Old Deer Park.

Cycling

Friday's Tour of Britain stage was promptly cancelled and later on Thursday evening the rest of the tour, which was set to finish on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, was called off entirely.

Ice Hockey

Premier Sports Elite League Ice Hockey will begin tonight as previously planned, following a board meeting. Fixtures will start with a two-minute silence for the Queen, followed by the playing of the national anthem.