Among the most notable changes is an increase in the minimum time injured players must remain off the pitch. Players who go down injured will now be required to stay off the field for at least one full minute, up from the previous 30-second threshold. The adjustment is designed to discourage players from exaggerating or prolonging minor injuries in an attempt to break up play.
A five-second countdown will also be introduced for throw-ins and goal-kicks. If the restart is delayed beyond that window, the opposing team will be awarded the restart. Substituted players will face tighter restrictions as well, with only ten seconds allowed to leave the field of play. Should they take longer, their replacement will be required to wait until the next stoppage before entering the match.
On the disciplinary front, a new VAR protocol has been added specifically to review clearly incorrect second yellow cards that result in a red card. This limited intervention is intended to correct obvious errors without expanding the scope of video reviews more broadly.
In addition, the league will trial a measure requiring managers to nominate an outfield player to leave the pitch for one minute whenever play is stopped for a goalkeeper injury. The trial seeks to maintain numerical balance and reduce any perceived advantage gained during such stoppages.
Several innovations trialled or discussed around the recent World Cup will not be adopted. Hydration breaks will not be introduced, nor will VAR reviews for incorrectly awarded corners. The red-card protocol for players covering their mouths will not feature, and yellow cards will not be reversed for cases of mistaken identity or diving. VAR will retain the ability only to correct the identity of the player booked, not the original decision itself.
The package of changes reflects the Premier League’s ongoing efforts to strike a balance between fairness, pace and the traditional characteristics of the competition. Clubs, managers and players will now have the period leading up to the new season to familiarise themselves with the updated regulations before they are fully enforced.
Further guidance is expected to be circulated to clubs in the coming weeks to ensure consistent application across all matches.