English football authorities have agreed to stop holding minute's silences or other commemorations for events unrelated to the sport. The decision was made jointly by the English Football League, the Football Association, and the Premier League following the creation of a new committee, the World Events Working Group (WEWG), to assess the sport's response to global events such as natural disasters and terror incidents.
According to the Times, the new system will only allow a minute's silence if there is a strong connection to football. The change follows criticism of the FA for not lighting the Wembley arch in acknowledgment of the 7 October attacks in Israel, despite having done so for Ukraine in 2022. The FA argued its policy would now be to illuminate the landmark only for sporting or entertainment purposes.
The new policy is likely to allow individual clubs more freedom to decide their own approach to commemoration. In October, the Premier League and EFL did not hold a league-wide tribute for two men who died after a terror attack on a Manchester synagogue, but Bolton, Salford, Manchester City, and Manchester United staged their own tributes.
For events of national significance, such as the death of a monarch, the government is expected to provide guidance on how the sport should pay its respects. The new policies will not affect Remembrance Sunday commemorations or player-led actions, such as taking the knee during Black History Month.
