Scratch of the day: local football season postponed due to ‘rock hard’ pitches — SkimNews
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- Anglian Combination League unanimously postponed its 2026/27 season start to 29 August after drought left pitches "rock hard" and dangerous, affecting 85 amateur clubs across Norfolk and Suffolk.
- League chair Dale Brown cited the driest and hottest July since records began in 1836, noting that pre-season friendlies have been cancelled and matches that went ahead caused "many injuries."
- Anglian Water imposed a hosepipe ban across Norfolk and Suffolk from 11 July, while a drought was declared in half of England last month following record temperatures in May and June.
- The Met Office forecasts another heatwave next week with temperatures reaching 36C in East Anglia and south-east England by Thursday, with no significant rain in sight.
- The FA does not hold figures on how many leagues have postponed season starts due to the drought, calling it a matter for individual leagues and county football associations.
- Aerial images show dried-out parks and sports fields devoid of green, while golf clubs, some sports clubs, and private schools retain controversial exemptions from hosepipe bans.
Why it matters: The postponement gives a tangible, visible measure of how the drought is reshaping daily life in England — and the FA's admission that it doesn't track such delays means the true scale of grassroots football disruption is unrecorded. With 36C forecast for next week and no rain expected, the surface problem at amateur clubs is set to worsen rather than resolve, raising the likelihood of further cancellations across unprotected leagues.
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