Arsenal’s match with Chelsea has been moved at late notice despite already being given a broadcast slot by Sky Sports.
The match was originally switched from 3pm to 5.30pm on 29th April but will now be played at 8pm on Tuesday 2nd May.
A Metropolitan Police resourcing issue ahead of the coronation of King Charles III on 6th May is being cited as a driving factor. Apparently, officers are being told to take leave on the final weekend of April and they don’t think they’ll have enough on duty to handle a London derby.
For anyone travelling from abroad for the match, the change is likely to be particularly disruptive and disappointing.
A statement from the Premier League reads:
The Premier League fixture between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Emirates Stadium, scheduled to take place on Saturday 29 April at 5.30pm, will now take place on Tuesday 2 May at 8.00pm.
The initial scheduling of this match was approved at a Safety Advisory Group (SAG) meeting in February. However, the Metropolitan Police has now revised its position regarding the kick-off time and requested a further SAG meeting which determined the match had to be re-scheduled.
We regret the need to move this fixture at late notice and the impact this will have on supporters. The game will remain live on Sky Sports.
Given Buckingham Palace confirmed a date for the coronation on 21st January, questions have to be asked why this scheduling problem wasn’t preempted before Sky Sports selected the match for broadcast in late February.
After all, it’s not as if we didn’t have a dress rehearsal earlier in the season when police resources were stretched following the death of the Queen died and our game with PSV Eindhoven was forced to move late in the day.
Intriguingly, moving the men’s first team match with Chelsea to Tuesday throws up the possibility of Emirates Stadium hosting three games in four days.
While it is yet to be confirmed, the under-18s FA Youth Cup Final against West Ham United, also pencilled for 29th April, could, in theory, be played as it will require a smaller police presence.
Arsenal Women will then face Wolfsburg on 1st May in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final before the Blues travel across London to face Arteta’s title-chasing squad the day after.
If there is a positive to be taken from the date change, it’s that the Spaniard’s squad will have a couple of extra days to rest up after the trip to the Etihad on Wednesday 26th April. On the flip side, it also means less time to prepare before we head to Newcastle on Sunday 7th May.
Dammit – now I’ll have to book a day off work to travel down. Incompetence again.
Good to have more time to recover from the City game, will require a lot of energy and mental effort.
Agree, and 4 days to recover for Newcastle should be enough, whereas 3 to recover from an away trip to City would’ve probably been less than ideal.
Another piss take. One of the few matches I’ve managed to get tickets for this season. I’m fortunate that I can still make it, but would have been absolutely fuming if I couldn’t.
It’s all for The Arsenal good.
More time to take on Southampton, City, Chelsea and about 4-5day before Newcastle game.
God help us!
The Met are obviously far too busy exposing themselves to members of the public to be able to do the job they are paid to do..
I feel very sorry for fans that had been planning to go to the game but now will have to cancel. But this is great news for us. We’ve now got 3 extra days of rest and recovery. And we don’t play Newcastle until the following Sunday so another nice break before that match.
Perfect.
Attention all criminals! Many Met Police to be on leave the last weekend in April so enjoy your time in London…
This is very upsetting news. I’ve been a gunner since 1997 and was coming with my brother and 2 best friends for our for our first Arsenal live game. Were travelling from different places (Chicago, Dubai, California and Lebanon), and have both housing and match tickets booked and bought. I bought the tickets of off Stubhub. Does anyone here know if Arsenal are refunding tickets? And if so, how do we go about that?
Extremely disappointed and bummed. We have been living for this trip past few months…
Sell them on to someone else, chance of making a good profit!
That sucks. Absolutely gutted for you.
You should have no problem shifting them but if you want to sell them at a reasonable price I would very much be up for that.
(I’ll be watching this thread every day till 2nd May haha)!
That sucks, sorry to hear. I can’t help short term as I’ve rather unfortunately loaned my season tickets out, but if we can figure out how to safely exchange information you’re welcome to use my two tickets for any game next season at face value if you can get back over.
Good luck with sorting Chelsea out.
This is unbelievable kindness from an internet stranger, love to see it. May the universe bring you good karma fellow Gooner 🔴⚪
We are coming from Seattle, WA and this means I need to change my returning flight and an extra day off work.
We planned to leave the 2nd!
It’s one thing to move the game to a mid week slot but why 8.00pm. 7.45 would give us long distance supporter’s better chance to get home. Once again, NO HELP FOR US. Another game I will have to leave the game 10 mins before the end
Hopefully the Premier League will take over TV rights and get rid of the multiple subscriptions. That may influence a more reasonable schedule for fans.
That would be good in theory, but I wonder if that’s allowed. Part the reason for multiple subscription is competition rules. Can Premier League legally retain the rights?
If there is some oversight (maybe from the promised external body) to control prices it would be much more convenient for fans.
This actually means I can watch this one instead of missing it for work. Also good rest after City, assuming nothing else gets pushed around.
So does this mean that from 25th Feb to (at least) 20th May we play after City every single time?
What a bunch of cunts. Is there any other customer group that would tolerate this shite ?
Sadly I think the answer to that is yes, though football fans too often have to suffer this bs
Hours ago, just rebooked train tickets this morning to accommodate the previous change in kickoff time, so now I’ll pay another change fee to rebook again….infuriating. The FA has a very clear message: sorry, but actually fuck you we own you.
I’m coming from Thailand to watch the Chelsea match and extremely gutted that it was moved. Originally planned to fly back on 30th the day after the match, now I don’t know what to do. Absolutely fuming at this incompetence.
Moved from my wedding anniversary – praise the lord!
This is so baffling – is football (or the premier league) the only sporting event where such changes occur with alarming frequency with zero consideration to the customers, i.e., fans? Never seen last minute changes happen in cricket for example, dates are set well in advance.
Fuck Chelsea!
Finally on topic!
Booked our family holiday for that Tuesday so I wouldn’t have to miss the game on Saturday. Now I’m fucked. Really gutting.
I know these complaints often seem overwrought, but I’m sure there are many stories like mine: fueled by early-morning passions waking up early here in the US West Coast as a single dad with my two young daughters, week after week this magical season, we did it — We booked a flight to see the evil Chelsea play, in a season that might well end up a dream we talk about for decades. Bought the flights, got the tickets, bought West End tickets for the girls as well, cleared it with their schools… and now we have to cancel, at… Read more »
Disgusting!
Sorry man 🙁
I honestly don’t know whether to thumb your post down out of disgust for how they’ve ruined your family’s trip or to thumb it up out of sympathy.
As a retired bloke who lives fairly close to London the change of date does not make much difference but i have massive sympathy for all the long distance travellers who have been totally screwed. I have talked to fans at games who have travelled from all over the world to see a live game at great expense and admire their commitment. Its not as if the Coronation is a last minute arrangement so no excuse for the late fixture change!
Fans being screwed yet again.
On the plus side, we have more time to recover from the City game, but on the minus side. less time to prepare for the Newcastle game.
What’s bothering me more than anything else at the moment is Saliba’s injured back; we need him to return ASAP.
I duly hope those who were praising the fucking Europa League to the high heavens have now had time for a rethink, now that the danger I warned about us missing key players for vital Premiership games in the title run in has become a stark reality…..
Move the coronation!! Job done…;-))