The Pope's visit to Britain this summer could force the Premier League and Football League to avoid scheduling high-profile fixtures during the weekend of the papal tour.
The Metropolitan Police yesterday said it is to file a request asking that no Category C games are played in the capital on Saturday 18 or Sunday 19 September.
The police categorise games from A to C, C being those most likely to result in trouble. Officers fear that should any Category C games be scheduled during the Pope's visit it will leave them without enough resources to police both events.
Commander Bob Broadhurst of the Met said: "We will ask that we do not have any problematic fixtures that weekend. Whether the people who make the fixtures agree to our request is a matter for them."
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