Serie A, the top football league in Italy, has postponed all of its scheduled fixtures on Monday following the death of Pope Francis.
The Vatican announced earlier on Monday morning that Pope Francis had passed away at the age of 88.
He had undergone lengthy treatment for a respiratory infection in recent months before being discharged from hospital. He had appeared at Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday.
Serie A confirmed on Monday that the four fixtures set for Easter Monday — a national holiday in Italy — had been postponed, including Juventus’ trip to Parma. Games in Primavera 1, Italy’s under-20 competition, were also postponed.
“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,” a statement read.
The fixtures will be rearranged in due course, the league added.
#ASRoma joins in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a loss that deeply saddens our city and the entire world.
His faith, humility, courage and dedication touched the hearts of millions, making him a moral compass of our time and beyond.
His legacy of peace and solidarity… pic.twitter.com/jxVR6LW3qz
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 21, 2025
A number of clubs in Italy and across the world have posted tributes with Roma highlighting “his legacy of peace and solidarity (that) will remain an enduring example”.
“Roma joins in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a loss that deeply saddens our city and the entire world,” the club said in a statement.
“His faith, humility, courage and dedication touched the hearts of millions, making him a moral compass of our time and beyond.
“His legacy of peace and solidarity will remain an enduring example. Our thoughts go out to all those who continue to be inspired by his unwavering values of communication and brotherhood.”
Claudio Lotito, president of Lazio, added in a statement: “I have had the honor and privilege of personally meeting Pope Francis on several occasions: in those moments of dialogue, I was able to appreciate his extraordinary humanity, sensitivity and authentic closeness to the world of sport and the values it expresses.”
Real Madrid expressed “its condolences to the entire Catholic community on the loss of a historic and universal figure.”
“During his pontificate, characterised by the scale of his immense legacy, Pope Francis has represented an enormous spirit of solidarity and support for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people,” they said in a statement.
(Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)