EPL, EFL To Pause Games During Ramadan
Last update: February 16, 2026
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Premier League and English Football League to pause matches for ramadan...
The Premier League and the English Football League (EFL) will once again pause selected fixtures during Ramadan, giving Muslim players and match officials a brief opportunity to break their fast at sunset.
Ramadan begins this week and runs for a month, during which Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset as an act of worship and reflection.
In the United Kingdom, sunset will occur between approximately 17:00 and 19:00 GMT over the period, meaning only certain late afternoon and early evening fixtures are expected to be affected.
Saturday’s 17:30 GMT matches and Sunday’s 16:30 GMT kick-offs could feature short pauses, depending on sunset timing.
As in previous seasons, captains and referees will wait for a natural stoppage in play such as a goal-kick, free-kick or throw-in to allow fasting players to take fluids or energy supplements.
CBI News reports that play will not be stopped during active passages.
Clubs and match officials are expected to hold discussions before kick-off to determine whether a break will be needed and when it is likely to occur.
The initiative was formally introduced in 2021, with the first in-game pause taking place during a fixture between Leicester City and Crystal Palace.
The match was halted at a goal-kick around the half-hour mark to allow Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate to take on drinks and energy gels.
Since then, the arrangement has become a widely accepted feature of English football’s calendar.
Several prominent Muslim players competing in the top flight observe Ramadan, including Mohamed Salah, William Saliba, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Amad Diallo.
Former Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure praised the league’s approach 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," he told BBC Sport.
"I fast every day, I don't miss any day. It has become normal and very easy for me. Training is still the same during Ramadan but when we go [for away matches], we might need to eat later than the others so the chef prepares food for us, making sure everything is in place as at home. We get halal food so there are no problems," Doucoure added.
In 2022, former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane also disclosed that his club adjusted training schedules during Ramadan to support Muslim players.
