Drought postpones amateur football as pitches turn rock-hard

Local football seasons across England and Wales face postponement after the UK's driest summer on record left pitches rock-hard. England had 6.5mm of rain in July 2026 — 10% of the long-term average — in records going back to 1836. Referees say the injury risk is unignorable. The Guardian reported the story on 8 August.