The Premier League has issued a statement in response to this weekend's fixtures being cancelled - insisting clubs would like to honour the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
It was announced yesterday evening the Queen had died aged 96, leading to tributes flooding in from world leaders and members of the public. The UK has now entered a mourning period which will last under her state funeral takes place, resulting in certain events being called off.
Official guidance made clear the decision over whether to stage games this weekend was down to Premier League clubs, who have agreed fixtures set to be staged on Saturday, Sunday and Monday will no longer happen. The same set of circumstances applies to the EFL.
READ MORE: Premier League confirm fixture postponements after Queen Elizabeth II death
A Premier League statement has since been released to explain how this verdict was reached. It read: "At a meeting this morning, Premier League clubs paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
"To honour her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a mark of respect, this weekend’s Premier League match round will be postponed, including Monday evening’s game."
Richard Masters, CEO of the English top-flight, said: “We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country. As our longest-serving monarch, she has been an inspiration and leaves behind an incredible legacy following a life of dedication.
“This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her, and we join together with all those in mourning her passing.”
The league's statement added: "This is aligned with the approach that The FA and EFL will take with their competitions this weekend. Further updates regarding Premier League fixtures during the period of mourning will be provided in due course."
A report in the Times from Martyn Ziegler earlier today indicated the Premier League were likely to take the route of postponement, and said there were "concerns that policing issues may affect games, while some clubs feel it is the right thing to do as a mark of respect."
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