The Premier League and the English Football League will once again implement special Ramadan arrangements this week, allowing brief pauses in matches so Muslim players can break their fast at sunset.
Ramadan, a sacred month in Islam, requires Muslims to abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset. In the UK, sunset during this period falls between approximately 17:00 and 19:00 GMT. As a result, only select fixtures, including Saturday’s 17:30 kick-off and Sunday’s 16:30 kick-off, are likely to require a short stoppage.
Under the agreed procedures, match officials and team captains will identify a natural break in play to allow fasting players or officials to take fluids or energy supplements. The timing of any pause will be discussed in advance. Play will not be halted during active passages but at appropriate moments such as goal-kicks, free-kicks, or throw-ins.
The first formal Ramadan pause in English top-flight football occurred in April 2021 during a Premier League fixture between Leicester City and Crystal Palace. The game was briefly stopped around the half-hour mark to allow Leicester’s Wesley Fofana and Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate to break their fast.
Several high-profile Muslim players currently feature in the Premier League, including Mohamed Salah, William Saliba, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Amad Diallo.
Speaking to BBC Sport in 2023, former Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure praised the league’s accommodating approach, noting that players are free to observe their faith without interference. He explained that clubs make practical adjustments during Ramadan, including arranging halal meals and flexible meal times, particularly during away matches.
Similarly, in 2022, former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane disclosed that his club adjusted training schedules during Ramadan to better support fasting players.
The continued observance of Ramadan protocols reflects English football’s broader commitment to inclusivity and respect for religious diversity within the game.
