Portsmouth have seen their Championship trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers postponed for a second time in a week. The match, originally set for September 9, will now be played on Tuesday, October 20, as confirmed by the club in a statement reported by portsmouth.co.uk.
This latest disruption stems from a fixture clash involving Liverpool's Champions League commitments. Wolves' Carabao Cup third-round tie at Everton was initially moved to September 16, freeing up the original date for the Pompey league game. However, UEFA's subsequent announcement that Liverpool would host Atletico Madrid at Anfield on September 9 meant Everton could not play at home on the same night, forcing the cup tie back to September 9. With that date now occupied, Wolves were unable to host Portsmouth as planned.
Why was the fixture changed twice?
The sequence of changes began when Wolves advanced in the Carabao Cup. Their progress under manager Cesar Peixoto meant the initial league date of September 9 at Molineux was no longer viable. The English Football League then rescheduled the Portsmouth visit for September 16. This plan was upended days later by UEFA's confirmation of the Liverpool match. The EFL met with UEFA officials on Monday seeking a solution, but European football's governing body was unwilling to reschedule the Champions League fixture.
Portsmouth Football Club said: "Due to the extremely late notice of these changes, Wolves are unable to host the game on the original date of September 9." The club's statement conveyed clear frustration, noting the inconvenience for supporters who had made travel arrangements twice. The EFL echoed this sentiment, stating UEFA's lack of cooperation was especially frustrating given the league's recent efforts to accommodate expanded European competitions.
How does this affect Portsmouth's schedule?
The postponement leaves John Mousinho's side with a free midweek on September 9. Their immediate focus is a home Championship clash against Cardiff City on September 5. You can view the full schedule on our fixtures page. Portsmouth currently sit 15th in the table with three points from three games, having scored five goals but conceded six. Their next match is a key opportunity to improve a recent form of loss-win-loss.
The squad is also dealing with several injury absences. Connor Ogilvie, Franco Umeh, Jacob Farrell, Josef Bursik, Keshi Anderson, and Márk Kosznovszky are all currently sidelined, as listed on our injuries page. This context makes consistent scheduling and preparation even more important for Mousinho's team, who are six points behind early leaders Charlton.
What was the club's reaction?
Portsmouth released a strong statement expressing their displeasure. "Portsmouth Football Club are extremely frustrated that our fans, many of whom will have twice made arrangements for this game, are adversely affected," the club said. They confirmed the specific change, stating: "Pompey can announce that the rearranged Championship away match at Wolves will no longer be played on Wednesday, September 16."
The EFL explained that it had been left with no option but to rearrange fixtures after the UEFA announcement. The league highlighted that it has previously split Carabao Cup rounds and implemented draw conditions to prevent such conflicts, making the current impasse more disappointing. The inconvenience ultimately extends to the supporters of five clubs affected by the reshuffle.
Portsmouth will now aim to build momentum against Cardiff before their next scheduled engagement. The rearranged visit to Molineux is set for October 20.
