Premier League reaffirms Ramadan match protocols for fasting players

As the holy month of Ramadan begins, English football is once again preparing to make small but meaningful adjustments on matchdays to support Muslim players observing the fast. 

The Premier League and the English Football League have confirmed that matches scheduled around sunset may briefly pause to allow fasting players to break their fast, continuing a practice that has been in place in recent seasons.

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Ramadan, observed by Muslims around the world, is a month of prayer, reflection and fasting from dawn until sunset.

For professional footballers, balancing elite athletic performance with daytime fasting can be physically demanding. Evening matches, particularly those kicking off in the late afternoon, often overlap with the exact moment of sunset when players are permitted to eat and drink again.

Under the agreed protocol, clubs will inform match officials ahead of kick-off if one or more players intend to observe the fast during the game. If required, the referee will allow a short pause in play shortly after sunset.

The stoppage is strictly for players to take fluids or energy supplements and will not be treated as a tactical timeout or formal drinks break. 

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This approach was first notably implemented in 2021, when a Premier League fixture between Leicester City and Crystal Palace was paused to allow fasting players to hydrate after sunset.

Since then, the practice has been adopted more formally across English football during Ramadan. The Premier League and the EFL feature players from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds, and the game’s administrators have increasingly sought ways to be inclusive without altering the essence of competition.

The pause often lasts no more than a minute or two. Importantly, the protocol does not guarantee a stoppage in every match.

It depends on whether there are fasting players on the pitch and whether the timing of sunset falls during the game.

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Referees remain in control of proceedings, ensuring that any pause is brief and does not disrupt the flow of play unnecessarily.

In allowing a moment for players to break their fast, the league acknowledges that respecting belief and maintaining elite competition are not mutually exclusive.