The Bundesliga is returning after a winter break, and winter in Germany seems to have just begun. Due to heavy snow and cold, one match of the football championship in that country has already been postponed, and several more are in doubt.
What is clear is that it will not be played in Hamburg, where St. Paul and Leipzig were supposed to meet on Saturday.
The snow was particularly heavy in the north and east of the country, so it is still questionable whether the Werder Bremen - Hoffenheim and Union Berlin - Mainz matches will be played on the same day.
Werder Bremen have urged fans to arrive early at the stadium and avoid arriving by car if possible, while Union Berlin fans have been volunteering this week to help clear snow and ice around the stadium in the German capital.
Sankt Pauli, a club from Hamburg in northern Germany, said it had "done everything possible to ensure the match took place safely", but that the conditions for this were still not met. A particular problem, it said, was the difficulty in removing snow from the stadium roof, despite days of efforts.
The club added that they were advised to cancel the match to reduce the burden on emergency services, the transport system and healthcare facilities.
Snow fell across northern and eastern Germany on Friday, with more rain expected overnight. Long-distance rail services were suspended in much of northern Germany, while road traffic was severely disrupted.
The first round of the Bundesliga after the winter break starts tonight (8:30 PM) with a match in Frankfurt between Eintracht and Borussia Dortmund.
Bonus video:
