Which Premier League matches are postponed due to COVID-19? Rules and latest updates

The recent surge of COVID-19 cases fueled by the spread of the Omicron variant is now being felt in the Premier League with a handful of clubs experiencing outbreaks that have forced the postponement of muliple matches.

Three Premier League games have already been called off and a number of other clubs have seen positive tests come back for staff and squad members – so what are the new Premier League rules regarding COVID-19 and will there be more postponements?

These are the latest updates on the developing situation around the league.

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Premier League games cancelled due to COVID-19

Tottenham’s fixture against Brighton, originally due to be played on Dec. 12, was the first Premier League game to have been postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak experienced by Spurs.

Manchester United’s clash with Brentford set for Dec. 14 was also postponed a few days later with the Red Devils confirming that several first-team staff and players tested positive for the virus, leading to first-team operations at the Carrington training ground to be ceased. Man United’s match at Brighton on Saturday, Dec. 18 is also at risk.

The latest match to be scratched was Burnley vs. Watford just hours before it was to kick off on Dec. 15. A number of cases in the Watford camp left Claudio Ranieri’s team with “an insufficient number of First Team players available to fulfil the match.”

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Which Premier League clubs have positive COVID cases?

In addition to Tottenham, Man United and Watford, Leicester City has also recorded positive cases, with several players unable to travel to Italy for their final Europa League group game against Napoli on Dec. 9. The Foxes lost the game 3-2 to drop into the Conference League knockout playoffs.

With the COVID issues in the squad persisting, manager Brendan Rodgers was hoping to see the Dec. 16 Premier League match pushed, but officials did not grant the request:

After cancelling training on Dec. 12, Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard revealed the next day that there were “a couple of staff members and a couple of players”, but iterated that the majority tested negative. Villa’s match on Dec. 14 was played on schedule.

Brighton manager Graham Potter revealed there were “three or four” positive cases at Brighton, while Norwich coach Dean Smith said he had one player who was in isolation.

According to a Reuters report on Dec. 13, there were a single-week record 42 new cases among Premier League players and staff from Dec. 6-12.

With teams forced to navigate the challenges caused by the outbreaks, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made the case for greater transparency on numbers and players affected:

Premier League rules on postponing matches due to COVID-19

The Premier League handbook itself states that the league’s board can “only permit the rearrangement or postponement of a league match in exceptional circumstances”.

Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis for each club, and there are no set rules that will determine whether or not a fixture will get cancelled. According to the league, sporting and medical factors are taken into account in each of these decisions. 

Following the cancellation of Brentford vs Man United match, the Premier League stated that it would take new “emergency measures” to combat the further spread of COVID-19, with the league’s players and staff now having to take a lateral flow test every day in order to access training grounds.

In addition to the daily tests to get into training grounds, players and staff are now taking a PCR test at least twice a week.

It is expected that additional measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing will continue to be enforced. The Premier League released the following statement upon Man Utd cancelling their fixture against Brentford:

“With the health of players and staff the priority, and in light of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Premier League has reintroduced Emergency Measures. These include protocols such as more frequent testing, wearing face coverings while indoors, observing social distancing and limiting treatment time.”

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COVID-19 situation in the UK

The spike in positive cases comes at a time when the United Kingdom has been facing yet another COVID-19 outbreak with the new Omicron variant.

The Premier League confirmed that as of October, 69 per cent of players had been fully vaccinated, with 81 per cent having received their first dose.

But concerns remain with those who choose to stay unvaccinated, while booster jabs continue to be implemented in the country for those eligible.

For fans attending matches in England, they will have to produce proof of double vaccination or a negative test to go to events with crowds that exceed 10,000 people.