Ramadan breaks to be used across English football again

The Premier League and English Football League will resume their procedures for Ramadan, with matches pausing briefly to allow Muslim players to break their fast.

Ramadan starts this week and will last for a month. During the this time, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset.

With sunset in the UK ranging from about 17:00 to 19:00 GMT during this period, the only games that could see a break in play will be Saturday’s 17:30 kick-off and Sunday’s 16:30 kick-off.

As has been the case in previous years, club captains alongside match officials will find a natural pause in the game to allow Muslim players or match officials to break their fast.

Teams and match officials will discuss beforehand whether a pause is required and an approximate time for the stoppage will be agreed.

In 2021, an agreement was put in place to allow Muslim players to break their fast during a Premier League match.

This first break took place in a game between Leicester City and Crystal Palace in April 2021. The match was paused at a goal-kick around the half-hour mark to allow Leicester’s Wesley Fofana and Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate to replenish themselves with liquids and energy gels.

One of the five pillars of Islam is that during Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours to show their devotion to their religion.

Muslim names in the Premier League include Mohamed Salah, William Saliba, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Amad Diallo among others.

“In the Premier League you are free to do whatever suits you. They will never do anything against your faith and this is great,” former Everton player Abdoulaye Doucoure told BBC Sport in 2023.

“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.