Here are five new Premier League rules or laws introduced ahead of the 2025/2026 club football season, which officially kicks off on Friday.
As football fans across the world gear up for the 2025/2026 Premier League, five new rules have been introduced by the English FA ahead of highly anticipated fixtures.
For the upcoming season, the Premier League is set to introduce five new rules designed to improve the overall flow and quality of England’s top-tier football. While some changes are expected to have a greater impact than others, each holds its importance.
In the 2024/2025 season, adjustments included extending the release time for team announcements to 75 minutes before kick-off and increasing the number of match balls placed around the field to ensure smoother play.
What are the new laws or rules in the Premier League?
According to BBC Sports, here are the new rules or laws introduced ahead of the 2025/2026 season in the Premier League:
The eight-second rule: In a bid to curb excessive time wasting, the eight-second rule has been introduced in the Premier League. This means any goalkeeper who holds the ball for more than eight seconds will be penalised with a corner kick for the opposing club.Only the captain can approach the referee: It has been added that in the 2025/2026 club football season in the Premier League, only the captain is allowed to approach the referee, and any player who attempts to approach the official will be shown a yellow card. The only exemption is that if the captain is the club’s goalkeeper, then a representative can be selected to approach the ref.Double penalty can now be replayed: If a player accidentally double-kicks a penalty, the option to retake such a penalty is now available in the Premier League. According to BBC Sports, this law was implemented as a result of the penalty incident involving Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.A referee can now give a drop ball decision to a side that did not kick the ball if he or she deems it fit that the opposition would have gained possession.No yellow card will be shown if a coach, substitute, or player off the pitch for any reason touches the ball just before it goes out of play; however, an indirect free-kick will be awarded.
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