Liverpool FC has confirmed that Sunday's Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield will go ahead as planned, despite yellow weather warnings issued by the Met Office as Storm Boelo brought fierce winds and torrential rain to the region.
Forecasters had warned that the conditions risked dangerous flying debris, power cuts and widespread travel disruption, raising safety concerns for supporters and staff. Officials assessed local conditions and drew on precedent from previous storm-related cancellations before deciding the match could proceed.
Club statement on both fixtures
A club statement read: "Liverpool FC's fixtures at Anfield and St Helens Stadium today will both go ahead as planned." The men's team host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, while the women's team face London City Lionesses in the Barclays Women's Super League, with each kicking off at 2pm GMT.
The statement added: "Due to the very windy weather, please take care if you are travelling to either game, plan your journey in advance and give yourself extra time. Club stewards will be on hand at both stadiums to assist supporters – please follow their guidance when you arrive. We wish you safe travels and we look forward to welcoming you to Anfield and St Helens Stadium."
Other Merseyside closures
Aintree Racecourse cancelled its Halloween Family Fun Day, which had been set to feature the William Hill Old Roan Chase. Organisers called off the event in the early hours of Sunday morning after overnight wind gusts hit 44 mph and continued to deteriorate ahead of the planned track inspection.
Racecourse management extended apologies to visitors and stressed that the welfare of attendees, competitors and staff remained their foremost priority. General admission tickets are being automatically refunded, while hospitality bookings are being dealt with directly by event staff.
Several other Merseyside attractions shut their doors as a precaution. Liverpool Cathedral suspended all visitor tours and Knowsley Safari Park closed for the day, while the council also cancelled the River of Light festival for a second consecutive night.
Transport disruption and outlook
Storm Boelo posed significant challenges for local transport networks, prompting rail operators including Merseyrail to run empty safety-check services before accepting passengers. Commuters were urged to check live travel applications and expect rail replacement buses on impacted routes.
Meteorologists observed that the centre of Storm Boelo was starting to move away from Merseyside by Sunday morning, although strong winds were expected to persist throughout the afternoon, with intermittent showers and gusty conditions predicted across northern England and Scotland before steadily subsiding.
