Watford have launched a furious attack on the decision to call off their Championship fixture at Hull City a mere 18 minutes before the scheduled kick-off on Sunday, insisting they did not agree to the postponement.
Late Call-Off Sparks Club Anger
The match at the MKM Stadium was one of 17 English Football League games wiped out by a severe winter freeze on 4 January 2026. With players already completing their warm-ups, referee Anthony Backhouse abandoned the fixture due to safety concerns surrounding the playing surface and the areas adjacent to the pitch.
In a strongly-worded statement, Watford contradicted Hull's claim that the postponement was "agreed by all parties". The Hornets asserted they were ready to play after the official had initially passed the pitch as fit and expressed deep disappointment with both the outcome and the process.
"We reiterate we were ready and willing to play after the pitch was passed fit by the referee," the club stated. "We remain disappointed by the decision to postpone, and by how the decision was reached. We did not agree to the postponement."
Widespread Disruption Across the Leagues
The frozen conditions caused chaos across the EFL schedule. In the Championship, Sheffield United's meeting with Oxford United and Portsmouth's clash with Ipswich Town were also called off following pitch inspections. The Blades confirmed their game was cancelled on player safety grounds, while Pompey's Fratton Park failed an 11am check.
The disruption extended deep into Leagues One and Two, with a further 14 matches postponed. The full list of cancelled games included:
- League One: Doncaster vs Luton, Rotherham vs Mansfield, Port Vale vs Barnsley, Stevenage vs Leyton Orient.
- League Two: Fixtures at Barnet, Barrow, Bromley, Cambridge United, Colchester, Harrogate, Newport County, Notts County, Salford City, and Walsall.
Further Sporting Cancellations
The big freeze's impact was felt beyond football, with Monday's National Hunt horse racing fixtures at Ludlow and Lingfield also abandoned due to frozen tracks. The widespread postponements highlight the significant challenge posed by the winter weather to the UK's sporting calendar.
The incident at the MKM Stadium leaves a cloud of controversy, with Watford's public dissent pointing to a potential breakdown in communication and procedure. The club's forceful statement suggests the matter may not end with the mere rescheduling of the fixture.
