Italian football games across all divisions have been postponed following the passing of the head of the worldwide Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome, His Holiness Pope Francis.
The Pontiff died in the morning of Easter Monday aged 88, the Vatican confirmed – with tributes pouring in across the world. As a result, the Italian Serie A announced that all senior men’s and U-20 top-flight fixtures scheduled for the day have been called off as a mark of respect.
“Following the passing of His Holiness, Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A can confirm that today’s league games in Serie A and Primavera 1 have been postponed. The date of the rearranged fixtures will be announced in due course,” Serie A said In a statement released shortly after the Pope’s death.
Four Serie A fixtures were scheduled for Easter Monday before the postponement – Torino against Udinese, Cagliari hosting Fiorentina, Lazio on a trip to Genoa, and Juventus taking on Parma.
Three youth matches in the Primavera 1 championship were also affected. These included Roma U-20s vs Udinese U-20s, Monza U-20s vs Sassuolo U-20s and Sampdoria U-20s vs Torino U-20s. All seven matches will be rescheduled at a later date.
The postponement affects matches across Italy’s football calendar, with new dates yet to be determined. It remains unclear when the postponed fixtures will be re-arranged. The decision reflects the profound impact of the Pontiff’s passing on Italian society.