Premier League and EFL Adjust for Ramadan Fasts

omidbasir- Ramadan commences this week, prompting a brief pause in play during select Premier League and English Football League (EFL) matches. This initiative is designed to allow Muslim players to break their fast.

Spanning a month, Ramadan entails fasting from dawn until sunset for Muslims, and in the UK, sunset times will range approximately from 17:00 to 19:00 GMT. Consequently, the matches likely to experience these pauses are the Saturday 17:30 kick-off and the Sunday 16:30 kick-off.

Continuing a practice established in previous years, club captains and match officials will coordinate to find appropriate moments during the game to facilitate Muslim players or officials breaking their fast. Discussions will take place ahead of the matches to determine the necessity of a pause, and an approximate time for this stoppage will be negotiated.

The game will not halt during active play; instead, breaks will occur at the earliest convenient moment, such as during a goal-kick, free-kick, or throw-in.

In 2021, an agreement was implemented to provide Muslim players the opportunity to break their fast during matches. The inaugural pause occurred in a game between Leicester City and Crystal Palace in April 2021, allowing players Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate to replenish their energy and hydration at around the half-hour mark.

Fasting during daylight hours is one of the five pillars of Islam, reflecting deep religious devotion. Prominent Muslim players in the Premier League include Mohamed Salah, William Saliba, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Amad Diallo.

Former Everton player Abdoulaye Doucoure emphasized the club’s accommodating attitude towards players’ faith, stating in 2023, “In the Premier League, you are free to do whatever suits you. They will never do anything against your faith, and this is great.” Doucoure also shared, “I fast every day; it has become normal and very easy for me. During training, we may need to eat later on away matches, so the chef prepares halal food, ensuring everything is in place as at home.”

Additionally, in 2022, Sadio Mane, formerly of Liverpool, disclosed that the club adjusted training schedules to better support their Muslim players during Ramadan.