Premier League, EFL Approve Ramadan Breaks for Muslim Players, Officials During Matches -

The Premier League and the English Football League have officially confirmed that matches during this year’s Ramadan will feature brief, controlled pauses to allow Muslim players and match officials to break their fast after sunset.

Daily Star Nigeria gathered from Punch Newspaper that the arrangement, first introduced in 2021, will once again be implemented as Ramadan begins this week and runs for approximately one month.
Under the guideline, games will not be halted abruptly while play is in motion.

Instead, referees will wait for a neutral stoppage; such as a goal-kick, free-kick, or throw-in, before granting a short window for fasting players and officials to hydrate and take energy supplements.

Given that sunset in the United Kingdom falls between 5:00pm and 7:00pm GMT during this period, the fixtures most likely to be affected are Saturday 5:30pm kick-offs and Sunday 4:30pm kick-offs.

The procedure was notably applied in April 2021 during a clash between Leicester City and Crystal Palace, when play was momentarily paused at a goal-kick to allow players observing Ramadan to break their fast.

Ahead of each match, clubs and match officials are expected to discuss whether the pause will be required and agree on the appropriate timing, ensuring the flow of the game remains intact.

The English top-flight body maintained that the initiative is designed to respect religious observance without compromising competitive balance. According to officials, the goal is to ensure players can perform optimally while staying true to their faith.

Prominent Muslim stars who could benefit from the mid-game pause include Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, Arsenal defender William Saliba, Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri and Manchester United winger Amad Diallo.

The development highlights growing efforts by English football authorities to accommodate religious diversity while preserving the integrity and intensity of the game, a move likely to resonate strongly with Muslim football fans across Nigeria and beyond.