This summer’s record drought has forced a football league to delay the start of its season because “rock hard” pitches are a danger to its players.

The 2026/27 season in the Anglian Combination League of 85 amateur teams in Norfolk and Suffolk was due to start next weekend.

But on Friday after an urgent meeting, the league’s board announced it had unanimously decided to postpone the start of the season until the end of August, because most of the clubs’ pitches are dried out and too dangerous to play on.

It said a number of pre-season friendlies have had to be cancelled because of the drought and matches that have gone ahead have led to “many injuries”.

In a statement addressed to all leagues clubs, players and officials, it confirmed the start of the season will be delayed until 29 August.

“The rationale behind this decision is to protect the welfare of players, officials and all associated with the match day, in what has been the driest and hottest July since records began in 1836,” the league chair, Dale Brown, said in the statement. “Most of our league clubs pitches are grass and the ground conditions are extremely dry and pitches rock hard.”

Brown added: “This was a very difficult decision to reach and one that will not please all clubs.”

The league’s decision comes after a series of record-breaking heat waves and exceptionally low rainfall have left much of England and Wales visibly parched and the ground as hard as concrete.

Record temperatures were experienced in May and June, and July was the driest month since records began. A drought was declared in half of England last month with many water companies imposing hosepipe bans. Such a ban by Anglian Water which covers Norfolk and Suffolk, has been in force since 11 July.

Aerial images have shown dried out parks and sports fields devoid of any signs of green, with the exception of golf clubs, some sports clubs, and private schools who enjoy controversial exemptions from hosepipe bans.

The Met Office forecasts another heatwave next week, with temperatures set to reach 36C in parts of East Anglia and south-east England by next Thursday. There is no sign of much-needed rain, although humidity is expected to increase next week.

The FA does not hold figures on the number of leagues that have been forced to postpone the start of next season because of the drought. It said it was a matter of individual leagues and county football associations.