On Thursday afternoon, Queen Elizabeth II passed away. She was 96.
The longest-serving royal monarch is a staple of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and all Commonwealth Dominions. She took office as Queen in February 1952, a position she held for 70 years.
His impact also reached the world of sport. In fact, it was she who handed over the Jules Rimet Trophy to England when she won her first, and so far only, World Cup in her homeland. She also played a role during the organization of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The Queen’s passing has an effect on the world of football, particularly in the UK. The clubs compete in the Europa and Conference League on Thursday before returning to domestic competition at the weekend. However, the effect on the world of football is already clear.
Those Europa League matches that were played in England had a somber tone starting as the English reel with the loss of The Queen.
The death of the queen and British football
Several Commonwealth teams played their matches on the same day as the Queen’s death on Thursday.
Three British clubs had the opportunity to honor Her Majesty, the Queen. Upon re-entering the pitch for the second half of Arsenal’s match against FC Zürich, there was a minute’s silence. In addition, Arsenal players wore black armbands in honor of the Queen.
Manchester United vs Real Sociedad
Manchester United, one of the most recognizable teams in the world, much less England, observed a minute of silence for The Queen. A packed crowd at Old Trafford bowed their heads to honor Queen Elizabeth II without interruption. Players, coaches, referees, fans and others at Old Trafford took part in the moment of silence.
Manchester United shares the sorrow of the entire nation following Buckingham Palace’s announcement of the passing of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. pic.twitter.com/QwLRZ9z4yf
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 8, 2022
Real Sociedad fans also participated. Visitors to the Basque Country raised scarves during the moment of silence in solidarity with the mourning Mancunians.
Additionally, both clubs wore black armbands to symbolize their mourning in the same way as Arsenal in their previous game.
West Ham United v FCSB
West Ham United’s home ground, the Olympic Stadium, is located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The area is named after Her Majesty the Queen of Her, built during her time for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
West Ham exhibited the same traditions as Manchester United. Both clubs took part in a moment of silence in honor of The Queen’s passing in the UK.
Unfortunately, the minute’s silence before the match between Hearts and İstanbul Başakşehir was interrupted by parts of the crowd.
Impact on Premier League games
The Queen’s passing could still affect UK football in terms of domestic competition. While nothing is set in stone, it is believed that all games in England, Scotland and Wales will be called off for this coming weekend. In fact, some hypotheses predict that the same thing could happen the following weekend, in addition to the national games scheduled for the middle of the week.
The clubs are awaiting an announcement about the weekend’s football matches in the morning, following the Queen’s passing this afternoon. A repeated opinion among those I have spoken to is that they are ‘almost certain’ that the games will be canceled as a mark of respect.
— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) September 8, 2022
A 10-day national mourning period is generally observed in the UK. In the meantime, the British government and the Royal Family will follow an intricate protocol as a result of Her Majesty’s passing.
As a result, there will be further effects on UK football in the coming days. On Friday, authorities plan to hold an emergency meeting about the upcoming sports calendar.
For comparison, the DP World Tour has suspended the PGA BMW Championship until Friday. F1 races and cricket matches involving English drivers and the national team were also suspended.
PHOTO: IMAGO / NurPhoto
