-
Premier League to pause matches for Ramadan sunset breaks.
-
Breaks will occur during natural stoppages in play.
-
Practice continues to support Muslim players’ observance.
The Premier League and the English Football League have confirmed that selected matches will once again include short pauses during Ramadan, allowing Muslim players and match officials to break their fast at sunset.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Health Workers Warn as Antivenom Gaps Undermine Snakebite Treatment
- Tinubu Approves ₦40bn Zero-Interest Loans for University Lecturers, Staff
- 5 Health Risks Men Face After Age 40
EKO HOT BLOG reports that Ramadan begins this week and runs for one month. During the period, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset as part of religious observance.
In the United Kingdom, sunset is expected to fall between approximately 17:00 and 19:00 GMT throughout Ramadan. As a result, only late afternoon and early evening fixtures are likely to be affected. Saturday’s 17:30 GMT kick-offs and Sunday’s 16:30 GMT matches could include brief stoppages, depending on the exact sunset time.
League officials have maintained that any pause will take place during a natural break in play, such as a goal-kick, free-kick or throw-in. Matches will not be stopped during active play. Referees and team captains are expected to agree before kick-off whether a break will be necessary and roughly when it may occur.
The arrangement was formally introduced in 2021. The first in-game Ramadan pause occurred during a match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace, when play was stopped at a goal-kick around the half-hour mark. Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate were able to take fluids and energy supplements before the match resumed.
Since then, the practice has become an established feature of English football during Ramadan and has received broad support across clubs and supporters.
Several prominent players observing Ramadan compete in the Premier League this season, including Mohamed Salah, William Saliba, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Amad Diallo.
Former Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure welcomed the initiative in 2023, highlighting the league’s respect for religious observance.
“In the Premier League, you are free to do whatever suits you. They will never do anything against your faith and this is great,” he told BBC Sport.
“I fast every day, I don’t miss any day. It has become normal and very easy for me. Training is still the same during Ramadan but when we go [for away matches], we might need to eat later than the others so the chef prepares food for us, making sure everything is in place as at home. We get halal food so there are no problems,” Doucoure added.
In 2022, former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane also disclosed that his club adjusted training schedules during Ramadan to accommodate Muslim players.
The continued observance of in-game breaks reflects the league’s efforts to balance competitive football with religious inclusivity, ensuring players can fulfil both professional and personal commitments during the holy month.
FURTHER READING
- Electronic Transmission: ‘Nigerians Always Complain’ – Senate Knocks Protesters
- FG Suspends NAFDAC Enforcement On Sachet Alcohol Ban
- Alaafin Seeks Supreme Court Halt On Ago-Oja Chieftaincy Elevation
