EUROPA League
Sporting events cancelled, tributes paid after Queen Elizabeth dies
The world of sport reacted to the death of Queen Elizabeth on Thursday with a raft of cancellations across cricket, golf, rugby and cycling, while others paid tribute by holding a minute’s silence.
The queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died peacefully at her home in Scotland aged 96.
The second day of the third and deciding cricket test between England and South Africa at the Oval on Friday was suspended as a mark of respect, while matches in the domestic Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy were called off.
The English Football League (EFL) cancelled two games scheduled for Friday, while West Ham United fans sang a rousing rendition of “God Save the Queen” before their Europa Conference League match against Romanian side FCSB on Thursday. A minute’s silence was observed at Europa League games featuring British teams and players wore black armbands.
“A determination regarding the remainder of this weekend’s scheduled fixtures will be made following a review of the official mourning guidance, in addition to further consultation with DCMS and other sports on Friday morning,” the EFL said.
The Scottish Championship game on Friday between Cove Rangers and Dundee was also postponed by the Scottish Professional Football League.
British media reported that the Premier League is also likely to decide on the weekend’s fixtures on Friday.
At Wentworth, which is hosting the BMW PGA golf Championship, the flagship event of Europe’s DP World Tour, play was suspended on Thursday, and organisers cancelled Friday’s second round.
“She was truly an inspiration to people the world over … no play will take place at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday and the golf course and practice facilities will be closed,” the Tour said in a statement.
Peter Forster, captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, said the queen’s 70-year patronage was a “great honour”.
“Following her accession in 1952, Her late Majesty graciously accepted the Patronage of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews … although not a golfer, Her late Majesty’s 70-year patronage of the club was a great honour for its members,” said Forster.
In cycling, the Tour of Britain called off Friday’s sixth stage before also cancelling the weekend’s remaining stages.
Saracens’ game against Northampton Saints in the Premiership Rugby Cup later on Thursday was postponed while Scottish Rugby has suspended all domestic watches this weekend.
The British Horseracing Authority also suspended all events for two days. Horse racing was the queen’s passion and she was a regular race-goer as well as an owner and breeder of racing stock.
The U.S.-based National Football League observed a moment of silence before the start of the regular-season opening game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills.
The U.S. Open tennis championships and motor racing’s Formula One will also observe silences.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe hailed the queen for her role in the successful staging of the 2012 London Olympics.
“In the most demanding of roles, she has shown exceptional leadership, grace, wisdom and fortitude, touching us across the full fabric of society, including sport,” said Coe.
“I will never forget her total commitment to the success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
-Reuters
Four-times Europa League winner Unai Emery booked an astonishing sixth final in the competition as a manager on Thursday when his Aston Villa team swept aside Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their all-English semi-final.
The 54-year-old Spaniard has won three times with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016) and once with Villarreal (2021) – either side of a defeat with Arsenal (2019) – deservedly earning him the epithet “Mr Europa League” from some fans and media.
Now he goes to the 2026 final seeking a fifth title, this time with Aston Villa against Bundesliga side Freiburg.
“His track record speaks for itself,” said Villa striker Ollie Watkins, heaping praise on his boss as the man to guarantee Europa League success. “We need to go and win it now.”
Emery was delighted with how his team overturned a 1-0 deficit to Forest in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final to score four times at home and win 4-1 on aggregate.
“Now we have to look to the final,” he said, hoping that Villa will do “something fantastic” for their fans.
Though thrilled at Thursday’s win, Emery left the pitch quickly after the final whistle, pumping his fist a few times at the crowd before letting his players enjoy the moment with fans
He and his Villa side will be favourites at the Europa League final in Istanbul on May 20, but Emery was taking nothing for granted. “Of course German teams are so difficult, their coaches, their players are so good,” he added of the upcoming opponents.
-Reuters
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List of teams which have qualified for the next round of the Europa League after the league phase concluded on Thursday, ranked by table position:
Directly to the round of 16:
1. Olympique Lyonnais (France)
2. Aston Villa (England)
3. Midtjylland (Denmark)
4. Real Betis (Spain)
5. Porto (Portugal)
6. Braga (Portugal)
7. Freiburg (Germany)
8. AS Roma (Italy)
Knockout phase play-off places (seeded)
9. Genk (Belgium)
10. Bologna (Italy)
11. VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
12. Ferencvaros (Hungary)
13. Nottingham Forest (England)
14. Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)
15. Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)
16. Celta Vigo (Spain)
Knockout phase play-off places (unseeded)
17. PAOK (Greece)
18. Lille (France)
19. Fenerbahce (Turkey)
20. Panathinaikos (Greece)
21. Celtic (Scotland)
22. Ludogorets (Bulgaria)
23. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
24. SK Brann (Norway)
-Reuters
UEFA Europa League – Aston Villa v RB Salzburg – Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain – January 29, 2026 Aston
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Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not accept any away fan tickets for their Europa League match at Aston Villa next month, even if local authorities reverse the decision to ban their supporters, they said on Monday.
The ban followed safety concerns raised by British Police, who cited potential protests outside Villa Park, following demonstrations at Israel’s recent World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine.
“From hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context,” Maccabi said in a statement.
“We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”
Aston Villa announced the decision last week, saying they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park.
West Midlands Police described the match as high risk, past incidents, including violent confrontations and hate crime offences involving Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters ahead of a November 2024 game in Amsterdam.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the announcement as “shameful”.
Villa are third in the Europa League standings while Maccabi Tel Aviv are 30th after two rounds.
-Reuters
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