Sports officials take steps to ensure fixtures avoid funeral clash

THE Premier League match between Wolves and Sheffield United on Saturday will kick off at 8.15pm to avoid clashing with the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral. The fixture had been due to kick off at 3pm, but the league confirmed yesterday that it had been rescheduled as a mark of respect.

It is understood the FA Cup semifinal between Chelsea and Manchester City will stay at its 5.30pm time, and the decision to move the Wolves game to 8.15pm also took the lastfour tie at Wembley into consideration. The day’s other Premier League game, between Newcastle and West Ham, will kick off at 12.30pm as planned. Several EFL clubs said their matches on Saturday had been moved to 12.30pm kick-offs from 3pm, though some may opt to kick off at or after 5pm.

All four Premiership Rugby matches being played on Saturday have been moved, with two kicking off at 12.30pm and two at 5pm. The England and Wales Cricket Board has said all nine LV= Insurance County

Championship matches will pause for an hour and 20 minutes and has asked cricket clubs to stop play for an hour, alongside observing the one minute silence at 3pm. Grassroots football leagues are understood to have been advised to avoid play between 2.45pm and 4.15pm on Saturday.

The World Snooker Tour is liaising with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport with regard to the World Championship, which is due to start on Saturday in Sheffield.

Race meetings at Ayr and Newbury scheduled for Saturday have been switched to the following afternoon. As a result, the Coral Scottish Grand National fixture at the Scottish venue and the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials meeting at the west Berkshire course will now be held on Sunday. No racing is due to take place in Britain between 2.45pm and 4.15pm on Saturday. Meetings at Bangor, Thirsk, Brighton and Nottingham will go ahead but with different start times.