A non-league football match between AFC Turnford and Cuffley FC, scheduled for Wednesday evening, was postponed due to a solar eclipse. The club, which plays at Wormley Rovers Football Club in Wormley, Hertfordshire, was informed the game could not proceed as the ground does not have floodlights.
Ronnie Bates, AFC Turnford's founder and player, said the Herts Senior County League (HSCL) football operations sent a message stating all games would "need to be postponed due to the eclipse" unless played "under lights." The match was due to start at 19:00 BST, an hour after the partial eclipse was set to begin.
Bates expressed surprise at the decision, noting it was unusual for a game to be called off in this manner. The HSCL stated it prioritises player safety. The Hertfordshire Football Association (HFA) clarified that the HSCL operates independently and did not issue any guidance on the matter.
The celestial event, where the Moon will cover 90 to 96% of the Sun, is expected to last approximately one hour and 50 minutes, starting around 18:20 and concluding by 20:10.