Free Presbyterian Church accuses Northern Ireland Football League of anti-Christian 'discrimination' for staging matches on Sunday

The letter says that there has been agreement between 11 of the 12 clubs in the Sports Direct Premiership to play games on a Sunday in the 2024/25 season.

It is signed by Rev Gordon Dane, the chairman of the church’s Morals and Government Committee.

It is the latest salvo in the church’s long-running campaign against staging sports on Sundays.

A promo image for the NI Football League

“We, in keeping with the historic position of Protestant Churches hold Sunday to be the Christian Sabbath,” it says.

"The Westminster Confession of Faith which sets out the doctrines of the Bible says in its chapter 21 that God: ‘hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which in Scripture is called the Lord’s day’.

“We hold it to be a special day and a day that is marked by the worship of God and rest and it has been kept this way by thousands of evangelical Christians for hundreds of years.

"It is not a day for work (except works of necessity and mercy) or sport.

"Now, however with Premiership football matches to be held on Sunday NIFL are robbing Christian fans of the opportunity of supporting their team from week to week and they are closing the door for Christian footballers to be able to play in the top league in Northern Ireland.

"There may be some Christians who are willing to compromise over this – but there are many others who will not.

"In a day when we are being told that there should be equal opportunities for all, this does not seem to include evangelical Christians.

"We wonder if NIFL have done an equality impact assessment on this and if evangelical Christians have been included as a separate community in this?”

"We are calling on NIFL to reverse course on the matter of Sunday football.”