Premier League matches will be paused over the next month to allow Muslim players observing Ramadan to break their fast. The religious holiday began earlier this week and runs until the evening of Thursday, March 19, with daylight fasting posing a challenge for athletes.
The only fixtures affected will be those kicking off at 5:30pm on Saturdays or 4:30pm on Sundays, as sunset is expected to fall between 5pm and 7pm during this period. The first in-game break will take place this Saturday during the 5:30pm clash between West Ham United and Bournemouth.
West Ham duo Jean-Clair Todibo and Malick Diouf, along with Bournemouth's Amine Adli and Enes Unal, are among those thought to be fasting. As in previous years, match officials will liaise with club captains before kick-off to agree on an appropriate time to stop play, with pauses occurring at natural moments such as goal-kicks, free-kicks or throw-ins.
The practice was first introduced in 2021, and former Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure has welcomed the initiative. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: "In the Premier League you are free to do whatever suits you. They will never do anything against your faith and this is great. I fast every day, I don't miss any day. It has become normal and very easy for me."
Doucoure added: "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."
Ramadan takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, with the next observance expected to occur across February and March 2027.
