Premier League matches facing posponed due to snow and ice

The Met Office issued an update on conditions across England: "Snow showers will affect coastal regions in the north and west throughout today, before pushing further inland across northwest England and Wales during the afternoon. Dry and sunny elsewhere, but feeling very cold in the wind".

"Showers continuing for northern Scotland and windward coasts elsewhere. Some patchy snow also moving south across parts of central and southern England and Wales. Dry, clear and very frosty elsewhere" – they added in their forecast for tonight.

Given the situation, several Premier League fixtures scheduled for this afternoon and evening could be delayed. Manchester United are due to travel to Elland Road to face Leeds United in their first Premier League match of 2026, a fixture considered among the most heavily impacted by the forecast. Another match under threat is Manchester City versus Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium, scheduled just hours after United’s game.

Two Sunday fixtures that could also be affected are Newcastle United against Crystal Palace at St James’ Park and Everton hosting Brentford at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. By contrast, Fulham versus Liverpool and Tottenham versus Sunderland are not expected to be significantly impacted, as both matches will take place in London.

Under Premier League regulations, clubs are advised to notify match officials at least 48 hours in advance if weather conditions are likely to interfere with play. While all Premier League stadiums are equipped with undersoil heating, the primary concern for postponement is supporter safety around stadiums, including icy concourses and hazardous travel conditions.

At lower levels, several matches have already been postponed, including the League Two fixture between Notts County and Gillingham. As a result, further postponements remain a possibility. Any final decision will be taken by club safety officers or local Safety Advisory Groups in conjunction with the police.

Should matches be postponed, the FA would be required to reschedule the fixtures, potentially adding to congestion and increasing concerns over player workload. In such circumstances, clubs can only comply with decisions made by the relevant authorities.