FA confirm return of football ahead of Queen's funeral but Premier League concerns remain following Arsenal postponement

Matches across the United Kingdom were postponed over the weekend after it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away at age 96.

Newcastle United’s Premier League match at West Ham United was postponed as a result and a decision is yet to be made by the Premier League regarding this weekend’s round of fixtures with Eddie Howe’s side set to host AFC Bournemouth at St James’s Park.

The FA has confirmed that football will return this week, recommending that a minute’s silence is observed prior to the matches.

Matches across the Football League, National League and Women’s Super League will be played this weekend.

An FA statement read: "Last weekend, English football united together to honour and remember Her Majesty the Queen.

"We would like to express our thanks and gratitude to everyone across our game for their support and understanding as we paid respect to our long-standing Patron of The Football Association, Queen Elizabeth II.

"After a period of pause and reflection for our national game, we can confirm that fixtures will resume as scheduled, including matches from the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship, the Emirates FA Cup second round qualifying, Vitality Women’s FA Cup, the National League System [NLS], Steps 1-6, including the Vanarama National Leagues, the Women’s Football Pyramid [WFP], Tiers 3-7, and all matches across grassroots football in England. Isuzu FA Trophy and FA Youth Cup matches will return this evening [Monday].

"All matches held at stadiums are subject to leagues and clubs working with the relevant authorities to stage these fixtures, as usual practice.

"We will be recommending to clubs, leagues and competitions across the country that a minute’s silence is observed before matches are played, and that black armbands should be worn where possible. All flags at Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park will continue to fly at half-mast this week and over the weekend.

"The FA can also confirm that all scheduled football matches will be postponed on the day of Her Majesty the Queen’s funeral on Monday 19 September.

"Our thoughts at this time remain with His Majesty King Charles III, our president, HRH The Prince of Wales, and the whole of the Royal Family.”

There are concerns over Premier League matches being played in London this coming weekend due to policing manpower in the days leading up to the funeral.

Three Premier League matches are scheduled to take place in the Capital this weekend: Chelsea v Liverpool, Brentford v Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City.

Arsenal’s Europa League match against PSV Eindhoven on Thursday evening has already been postponed ‘due to the severe limitations on police resources and organisational issues related to the ongoing events surrounding the national mourning for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,’ as confirmed in a UEFA statement.

The three matches set to take place in London over the weekend are at risk of following suit with a Premier League decision set to be made.