The Spanish Football Federation has suspended all 24 Copa del Rey matches scheduled for Wednesday following a deadly high-speed train collision in the central province of Toledo that killed at least 30 people and injured dozens more.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said the decision was made out of respect for the victims and in solidarity with their families following the crash earlier Wednesday.
"As a sign of respect and solidarity with all the victims of the tragic train accident that occurred early this Wednesday in the province of Toledo, the RFEF has suspended the 24 matches corresponding to the first round of the Spanish Copa del Rey initially scheduled to be played during this afternoon and evening," the federation said in a statement.
The RFEF said revised dates for the postponed fixtures would be announced in due course.
The suspension affects the entire first-round schedule planned for Wednesday, including matches involving several Spanish top-flight clubs. Real Madrid and Barcelona are unaffected because they enter the competition in a later round.
The federation did not immediately provide further details about the rescheduling of the matches.
Deadly collision
The decision followed a major rail accident near Urda, approximately 130 kilometers (81 miles) south of Madrid, where two high-speed trains collided on the line connecting the Spanish capital with Seville.
Esther Padilla, a spokeswoman for the regional government of Castilla-La Mancha, confirmed the location of the crash to Spanish television.
At least 30 people were killed, and dozens were injured, according to initial reports from authorities. The number of casualties remained subject to change as emergency services continued rescue and recovery operations.
The collision disrupted high-speed rail services connecting Madrid with Ciudad Real and southern Spain, adding to the challenges facing passengers and transport operators.
Authorities had not immediately established the cause of the accident, and investigations were expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the collision.
The tragedy prompted an outpouring of grief across Spain, with the football federation joining other institutions in expressing solidarity with those affected.