The refereeing changes Sunderland fans can expect next season, explained | OneFootball

The Premier League has set new refereeing guidelines and law tweaks for 2026/27, covering hair pulls, time-wasting, set plays and a limited VAR expansion.

Sunderland Echo reports that the league consulted stakeholders through its end-of-season survey, informing a Game Improvement Advisory Group of representatives from the division, PGMO and top-tier clubs. That process shapes the refereeing principles and points of emphasis for the campaign.

Hair pulling now carries a yellow card if it is not judged to involve excessive force or brutality, while a red will be shown only for a clear, deliberate pull with excessive force or brutality. How VAR would have treated Ballard’s hair pull under this approach remains unclear, but the threshold for violent conduct has been raised.

Officials will continue to take a restrained approach to handball, with a stronger focus on penalising holding at set plays. There will also be greater punishment for blocks that prevent a goalkeeper moving towards the ball, aimed at curbing grappling and set piece dominance.

IFAB-mandated law changes will also come in, many already visible at the World Cup. Players who receive treatment must now leave the field for at least one minute, doubling previous guidance. A five second countdown will apply to deliberate delays at goal kicks and throw-ins, with the opposition awarded the restart, and a corner if the delay was at a goal kick.

There is a 10 second limit for players to leave the pitch during substitutions, otherwise the incoming player must wait one minute after play restarts. VAR can now review when a second yellow results in a red, but will not intervene for potential second yellows, and the league has not adopted optional scope increases such as checking wrongly awarded corners.

Source: Sunderland Echo