Important Rule Changes in the Premier League

2026-08-21 11:30 © scanpix

Yesterday, the match between London’s "Arsenal" and "Coventry City" teams will mark the start of the new "Premier" league season.

The league promises to be interesting not only due to numerous new coaches and players changing teams but also because of the introduced rule changes.

One of the most significant changes is related to injuries on the field.

According to the new rule, when play is stopped due to an injury, the football player must leave the field for at least one minute.

This aims to prevent situations where athletes simulate injuries to waste time during matches.

Another interesting change is the new counting system that referees will use when performing throw-ins and goal kicks.

In such cases, referees will count five seconds.

If the player does not perform the throw-in or goal kick within this time, the decision will be changed – the right to throw the ball in or perform a corner kick will be given to the opposing team.

There have also been changes to the player substitution rules.

From now on, a substituted player in "Premier" matches must leave the field within 10 seconds.

If he does not do so within this time, the player coming in must wait at least one minute by the sidelines before entering the pitch. Until then, the team must play with a player less.

In the 2026–2027 "Premier" season, VAR will also be able to intervene when a red card is incorrectly shown.