The English Premier League (EPL) has announced several new rules that will take effect in the 2024/25 football season, aiming to improve the flow and fairness of the games. These changes were officially confirmed on Thursday through a statement on the Premier League’s website.
As the new season kicks off on Friday, August 16, 2024, with the opening match between Manchester United and Fulham, fans will notice key differences in how the matches are officiated. The changes are expected to make the games smoother and more efficient.
One major change is related to the number of substitute players allowed to warm up during a match. Last season, teams were permitted to make five substitutions per game, but only three substitutes could warm up at the same time.
This season, the rule has been adjusted to allow five substitutes from each team to warm up simultaneously along the pitch perimeter. This update is intended to better align with the number of substitutions allowed during the match.
Another significant rule change involves the introduction of the multiball system. The new system will have 15 balls in use during a match to ensure that play resumes quickly when the ball goes out of bounds.
According to the statement, “When the match ball goes out of play and is not quickly retrievable, players must go to the nearest cone to collect a replacement ball themselves to restart play.” This rule is designed to reduce unnecessary delays and maintain the game’s pace.
Additionally, there are new guidelines for technical area staff and players. The referee will now send off any member of a club’s technical staff who deliberately delays the restart of play, such as by holding onto the ball or kicking it away. Players who engage in similar behavior within the technical area will receive a yellow card.
Finally, there is a new approach to calculating added time. The match officials will now only start adding time when the delay between a goal and the subsequent kick-off exceeds 30 seconds. This adjustment is intended to provide teams with sufficient time to reset positions after each goal without adding unnecessary stoppage time.
