EPL and EFL confirm brief in-game stoppages at sunset, continuing a policy first introduced in 2021.

The Premier League and the English Football League (EFL) have confirmed that matches scheduled during Ramadan will include short pauses to allow Muslim players and match officials to break their fast at sunset.

According to BBC Sport, Ramadan—the Islamic holy month in which Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset—begins this week and will run for about one month.

Because sunset in the UK during Ramadan typically falls between 5:00pm and 7:00pm GMT, only certain fixtures are expected to be affected. These include Saturday matches kicking off at 5:30pm and Sunday fixtures starting at 4:30pm.

The Premier League explained that play will not be stopped during active passages of the game. Instead, breaks will be taken at the earliest suitable moment, such as during a goal-kick, free-kick, or throw-in, allowing players and officials observing Ramadan to briefly hydrate and regain energy.

This approach has been in place since April 2021, when a Premier League match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace was paused at a goal-kick to enable Muslim players to break their fast. Since then, the practice has become a standard accommodation across English football during Ramadan.