The Premier League and the English Football League will maintain procedures related to Ramadan, allowing matches to be briefly interrupted so that Muslim players can break their fast. Ramadan, which begins this week and lasts for a month, is a period during which Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset. This is one of the five pillars of Islam, a demonstration of religious devotion. As in previous years, team captains and referees will agree in advance if a pause is necessary and when it should occur. The interruption will happen at a natural break in the game, such as a goal kick, a free kick, or a throw-in, never while the ball is in play. Due to the sunset times in the UK, which during this period vary between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM, only matches starting at 5:30 PM on Saturdays and 4:30 PM on Sundays may be affected by these pauses. It is worth noting that this measure was first implemented in the Premier League in 2021. The inaugural moment occurred in a match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace in April of that year when the game was paused near the half-hour mark so that Wesley Fofana of Leicester and Cheikhou Kouyate of Palace could hydrate with liquids and energy gels. The Premier League features several Muslim players, including Mohamed Salah, William Saliba, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Amad Diallo.
Leicester City Crystal Palace remains central to this story.
Leicester City Crystal Palace remains central to this story.
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