Premier League to Change Rules on Hair Pulling After VAR Issues

The Premier League is planning to change how referees handle hair pulling, grappling, and contact during set-pieces next season. This decision comes after several controversial red cards in the 2025, 26 season that led to serious discussions among clubs and managers.

According to BBC Sport on Friday, new “football principles” were agreed upon at the Premier League AGM. Referees will be told to focus less on punishing all contact, like hair pulling, and more on whether the action was intentional, forceful, or violent.

A summary from a senior refereeing briefing made the plan clear: not every case of hair pulling will result in a red card now. “Instead, referees will be instructed to assess whether there is a clear and deliberate action involving excessive force and/or brutality.”

This change comes after three notable dismissals that were upgraded following VAR reviews. The players affected were Michael Keane from Everton, Lisandro Martínez from Manchester United, and Dan Ballard from Sunderland, along with Josh Dacres-Cogley in the League One play-off final.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick was critical of these decisions. He described one of them as “one of the worst decisions I’ve seen.” Carrick’s attempt to overturn a three-match ban was rejected, but the incident sparked a discussion on the need for changes in officiating.

Everton manager David Moyes also spoke out against the punishment given to Keane, claiming his player was treated unfairly: “Absolutely nothing.” Moyes was also frustrated by the overall quality of officiating during set-piece situations: “It’s really poor that they’ve not tried to deal with it.”

Along with clarifying hair-pulling rules, referees will pay more attention to holding and grappling in the penalty area, especially during corners and free-kicks. Officials will be asked to penalise players who focus only on their opponents without trying to play the ball.

This issue has been raised many times throughout the season. Matches have seen more players crowding the box. For example, in a game between Everton and Manchester United, defenders and attackers were pushing against goalkeepers and engaging in off-the-ball wrestling, which referees often struggled to control.

Moyes again expressed his worries about this situation: “You get the feeling now that referees really don’t want to get involved in any of it.”

Another big change will tackle the growing trend of what is called the goalkeeper “tactical timeout.” This happens when goalkeepers slow down the game, sometimes by sitting down or calling for treatment, to give coaches time to instruct outfield players.

This tactic has faced a lot of criticism, with many fans and stakeholders unhappy about it. League feedback shows that 85% of respondents see this as a problem.

The Premier League is now looking for solutions. These include stricter enforcement of time-wasting rules and better restart regulations. A new law will allow referees to start a five-second countdown for goal kicks. If goalkeepers take too long, a corner will be given to the other team.

These changes come from the league’s annual football survey, which helps shape its “refereeing points of emphasis.” Officials aim to improve the flow, consistency, and reduce VAR disputes over minor physical contact.

While hair pulling will not automatically lead to a red card anymore, officials say the game will not become too lenient. The focus will now be on punishing clear acts of violence and deliberate obstruction, while avoiding overreacting to accidental contact in crowded penalty areas.

Whether this new balance will cut down on controversies or just create new debates about interpretations will likely become clear early next season.