Premier League: 6 Key Rule Changes Ahead Of 2024/2025 Season Including Handball Offences
- The commencement of the 2024/25 English Premier League football season is on the horizon
- The EPL governing body is keen on improving on the successes of the previous campaign
- A modification of six rules governing the league has been rolled out to help the EPL improve
Thanks to advancements in technology, football has been able to continually evolve into a sport past stars might not recognise.
One of the most-watched leagues in the world, the English Premier League, is also experiencing significant transformations.
As the new season of the English top flight approaches, the Football Association (FA) has introduced six new changes to the rules.
![The English Football Association is adopting six rule changes ahead of the new Premier League campaign. The English Football Association is adopting six rule changes ahead of the new Premier League campaign.](https://cdn.yen.com.gh/images/1120/376a427c248fb841.jpeg?v=1)
Source: Getty Images
In light of these updates, YEN.com.gh has highlighted the key rule changes to watch for in the upcoming Premier League season.
Changes ahead of the new EPL season
Team news changes
For a long time, teams have been restricted by an embargo that prevented them from revealing their starting lineups until 60 minutes before kickoff.
However, a report from premierleague.com indicates a change for the 2024/25 season.
Starting this year, Premier League teams will be allowed to announce their starting XIs as many as 75 minutes before a match.
This means that for 3pm kick-offs, team news will now be shared at 1:45pm. While an additional 15 minutes may not seem like a significant change, it is a new step the league is taking.
Changes to substitutes warming up
In the aftermath of the pandemic, Premier League clubs have been permitted to make up to five substitutions per game, an increase from the previous limit of three.
To align with this change, the number of players allowed to warm up on the touchline simultaneously has also increased from three to five this season.
Changes to the number of balls used
A significant change in the number of balls used during a game is also anticipated. To reduce delays caused by retrieving balls, there will be 15 available during the match.
This increase aims to ensure a quicker and smoother game experience by allowing prompt ball substitutions as needed.
Added time calculation change
Last season, Premier League matches experienced unusually long added time as officials attempted to address time-wasting.
This approach, however, proved excessive. A new rule will be implemented for the upcoming season: referees will now only start counting time-wasting once a goal has been scored and after the 30-second mark.
Handball rule change
A significant change this season concerns the punishment for handballs inside the box. While penalties will still be awarded, players who commit handballs unintentionally will no longer receive an automatic yellow card, as was the case in the past.
Instead, referees will evaluate these incidents as if there were any other fouls in the area. This adjustment aims to reduce the risk of unfair dismissals for players who did not deliberately handle the ball.
With these six new rule changes in the mix, anticipation is building for the new season and to see if the FA has made the right choices or not.
Vinicius Jr offered lucrative Saudi Arabia deal
YEN.com.gh also recently reported that Vinicius Junior was offered a lucrative deal to move to Saudi Arabia.
The Real Madrid striker has reportedly been offered almost £382 million per year to move to the Middle East.
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Source: Legit.ng