Category Sports News

Only captains will be allowed to approach referees during Premier League matches from next season.

The top flight is set to adopt new guidelines – approved by the game’s law-makers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), in March – that state only one player from each team, usually the captain, is allowed the approach the match official.

Under the regulations, referees can instruct players not to approach them, and show yellow cards to those who do so without permission and behave in a disrespectful manner.

In the event that a team’s captain is a goalkeeper, clubs will provide an alternative representative before kick-off.

This does not, though, prevent players from speaking to referees at other points during games.

Although Premier League clubs are still being consulted, the rules are expected to be ratified at the Premier League annual general meeting next month and introduced at the start of the 2025-26 campaign.

IFAB will include the guidance in the 2025-26 Laws of the Game, effective from 1 July 2025.

An IFAB spokesperson told BBC Sport: “At this stage, they are not a compulsory part of the Laws of the Game, although Ifab strongly recommends their adoption at all levels following their successful implementation by Uefa and various national FAs and competitions.”

The Women’s Super League – controlled by Women’s Super League Football (WSL Football) – could also adopt the guidance.

During Uefa competitions this season, the signal used to indicate the use of ‘only the captain’ guidelines is one arm extended, showing the flat of the hand.

“This signal may be adopted by other competitions, but currently there is no mandatory signal at the highest levels of the game, as different countries may have varying views on what signal best suits their football environment,” added an IFAB spokesperson.

The governing body added it will review this further to determine whether a standard signal should be introduced in the future.

In junior, veterans, disability and grassroots football, referees will signal a captain-only zone by raising both arms above their head and crossing them at the wrists.

Uncrossing their arms and moving them in front of their body with their palms open in a forward pushing motion will indicate players must not approach them.

The zone will extend for four metres (four-and-a-half yards) around the official.

It’s no secret referees and officials at all levels of the game are facing more abuse than ever before.

In 2023, the Premier League, the FA, EFL and the referees’ governing body, PGMOL, introduced a new ‘participant behaviour charter’ which gave referees new powers to issue yellow and red cards where behaviour fell below expected standards.

Despite that, serious allegations relating to the assault and attempted assault of match officials in English grassroots football in 2023-24 increased by 32% from the previous season.

Trials of body cameras on referees are also being carried out.

In March, IFAB said the aim of the new guidance is to “prevent major confrontations” and reduce intimidation of officials by “creating a secure and calm zone around the referee”.

Scottish Cup final: Aberdeen v Celtic

Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Saturday, 24 May Time: 15:00 BST

Reo Hatate will miss Celtic’s Scottish Cup final with Aberdeen at Hampden next Saturday, his manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed.

The Japan midfielder, 27, appeared to hurt his knee following a challenge by the Aberdeen’s Pape Gueye during Celtic’s 5-1 win at Pittodrie on Wednesday.

Hatate will also be absent for Saturday’s final league game of the season at home to St Mirren, having made 55 appearances this term and scored 11 goals.

“He’ll miss the last two games, sadly for him and for us,” said Rodgers.

Rodgers had expressed his unhappiness with the challenge by Gueye, which came as Hatate tried to stop the ball in anticipation of a free-kick for the forward’s push on James Forrest.

“I said at the time I thought it was a needless, needless challenge,” added Rodgers. “Everyone knew it was a free-kick. He’s just there to stop the ball from running away.

“For that to happen in that circumstance, it’s not nice.”

Scottish Cup final: Aberdeen v Celtic

Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Saturday, 24 May Time: 15:00 BST

Reo Hatate will miss Celtic’s Scottish Cup final with Aberdeen at Hampden next Saturday, his manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed.

The Japan midfielder, 27, appeared to hurt his knee following a challenge by the Aberdeen’s Pape Gueye during Celtic’s 5-1 win at Pittodrie on Wednesday.

Hatate will also be absent for Saturday’s final league game of the season at home to St Mirren, having made 55 appearances this term and scored 11 goals.

“He’ll miss the last two games, sadly for him and for us,” said Rodgers.

Rodgers had expressed his unhappiness with the challenge by Gueye, which came as Hatate tried to stop the ball in anticipation of a free-kick for the forward’s push on James Forrest.

“I said at the time I thought it was a needless, needless challenge,” added Rodgers. “Everyone knew it was a free-kick. He’s just there to stop the ball from running away.

“For that to happen in that circumstance, it’s not nice.”

Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will host Match of the Day from the start of the 2025-26 season.

It is the first time the role will be shared between three people, and they will split presenting duties for Match of the Day 2 on Sundays and MOTD: Champions League on Wednesdays, as well as Saturday’s flagship show.

Kelly Cates has had a a 27-year career in football with stints on all major broadcasters, including the BBC on Radio 5 Live. She previously hosted 606 with Ian Wright on Sundays. Cates – whose dad is former Liverpool and Scotland legend Sir Kenny Dalglish – has been presenting Premier League football for Sky since 2017. She will also continue to work for Sky Sports.

Mark Chapman, known as ‘Chappers’, has been hosting MOTD2 since 2013. He also presents a range of sports programming on BBC Radio 5 Live including the Monday Night Club and 606. He’s hosted various sporting events for both BBC TV and radio. Chapman also presented Sky Sports’ coverage of the Carabao Cup.

Gabby Logan first joined the BBC in 2007 and has presented many sporting events, including men’s and women’s World Cups and European Championships, the Six Nations and Olympics. Since 2013, Logan has co-hosted BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Her father is former Wales and Leeds midfielder Terry Yorath.

Match of the Day, which is the longest-running football show in the world having launched on 22 August 1964, has had five previous long-term hosts:

“It’s really great to share it because we bring different experiences and different interests within the game,” said Logan.

“We bring different ways of broadcasting and that will mean our pundits are kept on their toes and share different kinds of analysis.”

Chapman said: “People might find this hard to believe but there’s absolutely no competition between the three of us. We’ll do a mix of everything that works for us all as individuals, and all of us are really keen that it’s fair.

“Not only is it a great role just on its own but I’m sharing it with two people I really admire, respect and genuinely like. It’s a great set-up,” said Cates.

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Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix

Venue: Imola Dates: 16-18 May Race start: 14:00 BST on Sunday

Oscar Piastri led Lando Norris to a McLaren one-two in first practice at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Less than a 10th of a second covered the top five cars, as Williams driver Carlos Sainz took third place ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.

The session was brought to a premature end two minutes before the scheduled end when Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto crashed at the second Rivazza corner.

The Brazilian lost control at the right-hander, effectively the last corner on the lap, when he got a snap of oversteer mid-corner. The car flicked into the barriers pretty much front-on and damaged his front wing and nose.

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was sixth fastest from the Red Bull of reigning champion Max Verstappen.

Red Bull have some upgrades on the car, including a revised side-pod shape and radiator inlet, but Verstappen was complaining of a lack of rear grip over the radio as he lapped 0.36secs off the pace.

The demands of the old-school Imola circuit caught out a number of drivers, as Hamilton and his team-mate Charles Leclerc were among those who ran wide or bounced over the kerbs at one of the three chicanes that populate the historic track.

Another was Williams’ Alex Albon, who was eighth fastest ahead of the Saubers of Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg.

Lance Stroll, driving a heavily upgraded Aston Martin as the team seek to improve their performance after a poor start to the year, was 11th fastest.

Australian import Tristan Sailor says St Helens’ comprehensive Super League win over Catalans Dragons is evidence Saints are playing for head coach Paul Wellens.

Pressure has ramped up on club legend Wellens after a sticky patch form-wise which saw Saints lose to rivals Wigan, Warrington and old foes Leeds.

But Sailor was one of the stars as they tore into the Dragons on Thursday night, Saints scoring seven tries without reply in a 40-0 thrashing as teenage half-back George Whitby picked up a hat-trick.

“It takes a lot of resilience to get through what he was copping and our performances – he cops the brunt of it,” Sailor told BBC 5 Sports Extra.

“We’re always behind Paul and I think it shows his resilience has reflected on us, and hopefully we can keep that moving forward.

“We’ve obviously had a bit of a rough start, had a few close losses and for the past couple of weeks haven’t been at our best but the boys were awesome.

One of the conundrums Wellens has had to deal with this season has been involving all of his pivot options in a system that complements the team, with Sailor, Whitby, captain Jonny Lomax and Jack Welsby all flitting between positions in a bid to find the right rhythm.

Thursday’s move to the wing, a position Sailor has covered before, brought the best out of the former Brisbane Broncos and St George Illawarra flier, and allowed Welsby, Lomax and Whitby the space to create in the spine.

“I loved it, one of my strengths is that I can play a lot of positions and sometimes dynamic-wise you have to move to fit in,” Sailor added.

“It worked really well, I enjoyed getting to run the ball and do a lot of talking.