The Premier League faces a new league game after May 6 was mentioned as the date of the coronation of King Charles III.
The world’s richest league may be forced to reschedule another entire round of matches in a season of unprecedented congestion, exacerbated by the wave of postponements following Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
They left the Premier League with the worst deficit since the coronavirus pandemic, with the calendar already under enormous pressure due to the first winter World Cup.
As well as being a full round of Premier League matches, the weekend is currently the date of the last round of the English Football League and Rugby’s Premiership, when all matches normally start at the same time.
There are currently no major UK cricket, tennis or golf events scheduled for May 6 itself, but it is the date of the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and other race meetings in Doncaster, Goodwood, Hexham, Thirsk and Uttoxeter.
The Premier League, EFL, Premiership Rugby and British Horseracing Authority told Telegraph Sport they were all waiting for advice from the government on whether or not to host matches on Coronation Day.
Queen Elizabeth was crowned on June 2, 1953, which was a Tuesday, and a report last week said Saturday, June 3 next year, nearly 70 years to the day later, was expected to be the date of Charles III’s coronation. That would have seen it clash with the FA Cup final and the Derby.
Instead, it is the Premier League, EFL, Premiership and 2000 Guineas that are being forced to step aside.
That would give the former the biggest headache as all his matches require police, with the coronation likely to involve the relocation of thousands of officers to London to protect those attending the ceremony or along the route to Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.
The impact of that could also carry over into the next day, causing a number of Premier League matches to be played instead.