In England, the start of the amateur soccer league was postponed due to dry fields
The English amateur Anglian Combination League has postponed the start of the 2026/27 season due to dry and excessively hard soccer fields in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The league council unanimously approved the decision following an emergency meeting: matches will begin on August 29, rather than next weekend as originally planned.
The league comprises 85 amateur teams. League officials stated that most club fields have natural grass, but due to a record-breaking drought, the soil has dried out and become unsafe for play. Due to weather conditions, some preseason friendly matches have already been canceled, and the games that did take place resulted in “numerous injuries,” according to The Guardian.
League chairman Dale Brown explained that the postponement is intended to protect players, officials, and everyone involved in the matches. According to him, July was the driest and hottest since records began in 1836, and the condition of the fields is “extremely dry,” while the surface has become “hard as a rock.”
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The decision was made amid heat waves and extremely low rainfall, which have left much of England and Wales noticeably parched. Last month, a drought was declared across half of England, and many water utilities imposed bans on the use of garden hoses. In Norfolk and Suffolk, Anglian Water’s restrictions have been in effect since July 11.
The UK Met Office is forecasting another heatwave next week: temperatures could reach 36°C in parts of Eastern England and the southeast of the country. No significant rainfall is expected. The English Football Association does not have data on the number of other leagues that have been forced to postpone the start of their seasons due to the drought.
