Scottish football games called off following death of Queen Elizabeth II
- Published
Aberdeen's match with Rangers at Pittodrie is among the Scottish Premiership fixtures to be postponed
All senior football matches in Scotland have been postponed this weekend as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Scottish FA announcement follows the same decision by the Premier League and English Football League.
There was a full card of SPFL fixtures due, including six Premiership games.
The decision also covers the Scottish Women's Premier League, Women's Scottish Cup, and the Highland and Lowland Leagues.
Rangers say they are in talks with Uefa and Police Scotland over whether Tuesday's Champions League game with Napoli at Ibrox will take place as scheduled.
Uncertainty also surrounds Celtic's Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk in Warsaw on Wednesday and Heart of Midlothian away to Rigas Futbola Skola in the Europa Conference on Thursday.
Friday's Scottish Championship game between Cove Rangers and Dundee was called off on Thursday and the Scottish Junior Football Association has postponed its weekend programme, but all youth games will go ahead.
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died on Thursday aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.
The government's national mourning guidance advised that cancelling fixtures was not obligatory, leaving the decision up to individual sports.
SFA president Rod Petrie said: "We spoke with our counterparts across the UK this morning and, in discussions with our colleagues across the professional game in Scotland, it was agreed that this was the appropriate step to take following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster explained that the decision followed consultation with the UK and Scottish governments.
"The passing of The Queen, a constant in our lives for 70 years, is a profound and momentous occasion," he added. "It is therefore appropriate that professional football marks this event with all possible solemnity."
What about other sports?
Scottish Rugby announced on Thursday it has postponed all domestic fixtures over the weekend, including the women's national team's match against Spain on Sunday and Glasgow Warriors' pre-season game at home to Ulster on Friday.
However, Edinburgh's friendly away to Benetton Treviso goes ahead in Italy on Friday evening.
Friday's second-round play at golf's PGA Championship was called off, along with all British horse racing. Musselburgh will be the exception when racing resumes on Sunday, with its meeting cancelled due to the Queen lying in state in Edinburgh.
The Davis Cup Finals group stage in Glasgow next week will take place as planned, the Lawn Tennis Association has confirmed.
The event - from 13-18 September and featuring Great Britain, the United States, the Netherlands and Kazakhstan - will have a minute's silence at the start of each day's play and the host team will wear black armbands or ribbons.
The Camanachd Association has cancelled all shinty games this weekend.
However, ice hockey's 10-team Elite League will proceed with the season-opening games as planned, beginning on Friday evening as Glasgow Clan host Fife Flyers.
"As a mark of respect, all games this weekend will be preceded by a two-minute silence followed by the playing of the national anthem," the league stated.
Flyers host Dundee Stars on Saturday before the Tayside outfit entertain Clan on Sunday.