Governing Bodies
British soccer criticised for cancelling play after queen’s death
British soccer has come under fire for its decision to postpone this weekend’s round of fixtures following the death of Queen Elizabeth, with some fans questioning the move in contrast to other sports bodies who opted to let play resume.
The queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died at her home in Scotland on Thursday aged 96, prompting English soccer’s top-flight Premier League as well as the English Football League to postpone their next round of fixtures as a mark of respect.
Soccer games in Northern Ireland this weekend were also postponed, while the Football Association of Wales postponed fixtures from Sept. 9-12. Professional matches in Scottish football were also cancelled. read more
There was widespread annoyance that the FA had cancelled grassroots soccer in England.
But England’s deciding third cricket test match against South Africa at The Oval resumed on Saturday, while the rugby Premiership will also get under way after Friday’s two season-opening matches were rescheduled.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), which is the representative body for soccer fans in England and Wales, said the cancellation of games was a missed opportunity for fans to pay their respect.
“We believe football is at its finest when bringing people together at times of huge national significance — be those moments of joy or moments of mourning,” the FSA said.
Former England internationals Peter Crouch and Gary Neville echoed the group’s sentiments.
“Black armbands, silences observed, national anthem, Royal band playing etc to the millions around the world watching? Isn’t that a better send-off,” Crouch said.
Neville added: “Sport can demonstrate better than most the respect the Queen deserves.”
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had said there was “no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures”, effectively leaving the decision to each sport’s governing body.
‘DIFFICULT DECISION’
The Rugby Football League said they had taken the “difficult decision” of ensuring matches at all levels went ahead while the BMW PGA golf Championship opted to restart as a 54-hole event on Saturday after Friday’s play was cancelled.
Sunday’s Great North Run, the world’s biggest half marathon with 60,000 entrants, will also go ahead as planned, a decision that was welcomed by many competitors.
The British Horseracing Authority had suspended all events for two days but said they would resume on Sunday.
There were moving scenes at The Oval in London as supporters applauded at length after singing “God Save the King” before the day’s action got under way, the vast majority of the crowd no doubt singing the anthem for the first time in their life.
But Neil Stevens, 58, a recent retiree and cricket fan, told Reuters he had mixed feelings.
“I was concerned about today, whether they were going to scrub the whole thing,” he said.
“I’m mixed about it. The problem is it’s completely ruined this as a match. Are we going to get a three-day result? We’ve had a couple (of three-day results), but in a sense it has taken away that aspect of this game.
“But it was appropriate to do something to mark the passing of our monarch. I’m not particularly a royalist. You don’t get to retire in that job — you work until you drop dead. For that, it was appropriate to do something.”
Another fan, Alex Turner, 32, said he felt the Premier League had made a mistake and that the England & Wales Cricket Board had made the smarter decision.
“It’s a good sign,” he added. “The ECB have done well to keep things going. It was a better strategy.”
-Reuters
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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