Grant McCann says Doncaster Rovers remain in the dark over whether their trip to Sincil Bank this month will go ahead, with international selections potentially triggering a postponement.
The fixture sits inside the final international window of the calendar year and hinges on whether Lincoln City reach the threshold for a call-off.
The Imps previously had a league game against Bradford City postponed when Ivan Varfolomeev, Justin Obikwu and Dexter Lembikisa were selected for international duty.
ℹ️ City’s trip to Bradford City on Saturday 11 October has been postponed due to international call-ups for the Imps.
— Lincoln City FC 🇺🇦 (@LincolnCity_FC) October 1, 2025
Why This One Might Be In Doubt
The EFL allows clubs to request a postponement if they expect to be without a minimum number of players due to international commitments.
Any request must be made at least 5 days before the match. There has also been a separate media discussion suggesting an application should land before the fixture immediately preceding the one in question. Read either way, that leaves two practical deadlines for Lincoln City: a notification before the Rotherham game this weekend, or a formal submission by 17:00 on Sunday, 9 November.
Key context matters. In the previous window, the Imps reached the threshold thanks to Varfolomeev, Obikwu and Lembikisa. Should a similar trio be called this time, the club would again be within their rights to seek a call-off.
From a competitive standpoint, comparisons will be made: for Doncaster Rovers, youngsters Charlie Crew and Sean Grehan are due to depart after this weekend’s game with Barnsley, and the pair have a combined total of 6 League One starts.
Lembikisa with a stunner gives Jamaica the lead at half time! ⏳ pic.twitter.com/smQ5gz2Nci
— Concacaf Nations League (@CNationsLeague) March 24, 2024
The Imps’ potential absentees have featured even less frequently in the league this season, raising the question of whether postponement would deliver a meaningful sporting advantage or simply add congestion to an already busy winter schedule.
Rovers Preparing As If It’s On
Rovers boss Grant McCann says there has been no formal word from the EFL or Lincoln to change plans.
“I don’t know what’s going on really,” he said. “I think they (Lincoln) have 5 days’ notice before they need to let us know. I think they have 3 international call-ups – they had 3 in the last week.
“As far as I’m concerned right now, the game’s on unless we hear anything different over the weekend.”
Rovers will lose Crew and Grehan to the Wales U21 and Republic of Ireland U21 squads, respectively, after facing Barnsley, but their preparations for Sincil Bank are unchanged.
On the other side, Michael Skubala has previously indicated a preference to play where possible to preserve rhythm, though he must weigh that against the risk of going short in key positions and the knock-on effect to November’s workload if a rearrangement is needed.
As things stand, all signals point towards the game proceeding as scheduled unless a late request is lodged and approved. Both clubs are planning for business as usual, while supporters await definitive confirmation.
