The English Premier League, EPL in coordination with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and the Football Association (FA), has introduced a suite of mandatory law changes and refereeing guidelines ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Designed to curb time-wasting, protect players, improve match flow, and refine Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocols, these updates mark significant operational shifts in English top-flight football.
Below is the complete breakdown of the new rules set to govern the Premier League during the upcoming campaign:
Enforced Off-Field Stoppages for Injury Treatment
In an effort to minimize gamesmanship and lingering stoppages, any player who receives medical assessment or treatment on the pitch must leave and remain off the field of play for a minimum of 60 seconds after play has restarted. Teams will temporarily play with 10 men while the timer runs, removing the incentive for players to feign injury to break an opponent’s momentum.
