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The Premier League has announced a fresh set of "football principles" ahead of the 2026–27 season, outlining changes made in response to some of the most talked-about controversies from last campaign.
The 2025–26 season had no shortage of controversy, with many supporters echoing former Liverpool boss Arne Slot's sentiment that the game had lost some of its entertainment value. Player behavior, the use of VAR, and overly defensive tactics have all been pointed to as contributing factors.
In an effort to revitalize the game, the Premier League has rolled out a comprehensive set of new rules that referees and match officials will be expected to enforce next season.
Fouls
"Not every contact is a foul," an official statement emphasized, reaffirming that referees will uphold a high bar before stopping play.
That said, there will be a heightened emphasis on holding and deliberate obstruction—arguably the most contentious issue of last season. Title-winning Arsenal made effective use of physical play at set-pieces, but the problem was so pervasive that Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hürzeler even brought in a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter to help his squad learn how to handle it.
Defenders who focus purely on blocking or holding opponents without any attempt to play the ball will be penalized. Likewise, players who are found to be intentionally impeding the goalkeeper will also face punishment.
The motivation behind players' actions will be taken into account. Those deemed to be cynically obstructing opponents rather than making a genuine effort to win the ball will be sanctioned by officials.
Timewasting
Another major flashpoint last season was an increase in timewasting, with a number of clubs accused of deliberately slowing the pace of matches and pushing the boundaries of the rules to do so.
Actions ranging from faking injuries to dragging out substitutions and stalling restarts can now be penalized under new measures similar to those implemented at this summer's World Cup.
Any player who receives treatment on the pitch will now be required to leave the field for a minimum of one minute—double the duration stipulated under the previous guidelines.
Deliberately holding up throw-ins and goal-kicks, both of which will be subject to a "five-second countdown," will result in possession being awarded to the opposing side.
Regarding substitutions, players will have 10 seconds to exit the field once the fourth official raises their number. Should the outgoing player take longer than that, the replacement may only enter the pitch at the next stoppage following one minute of play.
Hair Pulling
At least three red cards were issued for hair pulling last season, an act considered violent enough to warrant an automatic dismissal. Discussions on the matter have since taken place with clubs throughout the league, with many seeking greater clarity on how the rule is applied.
Should another hair-pulling incident occur, officials will once again weigh the intent behind the action. A red card will still be issued if malice, excessive force, and/or brutality are determined to be present.
However, incidents not involving excessive force could now result in a yellow card rather than a straight red.
Of the three dismissals for hair pulling last season, Sunderland's Dan Ballard would likely have escaped a straight red, having visibly attempted to grab the shirt of Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare before inadvertently making contact with his hair and quickly letting go.
Arokodare was also the victim of a hair pull by Everton's Michael Keane, whose red card would likely remain justified under the updated rules. Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martínez, sent off for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hair, perhaps falls somewhere in the middle of the two cases.