On the Pitch

The appointment of match officials is traditionally announced each Monday. If there is a Premier League fixture on a Monday then the appointments of match officials will be announced on the Tuesday. Select Group referees officiate Premier League matches.

Appointments are made by the Professional Game Match Officials Board. They take into account several factors, including the referee’s overall experience, their current form, how often they have refereed the clubs involved, which team the referee supports and any forthcoming international appointments.

Premier League match officials appointments can be seen here.

The referee is solely in charge of disciplinary matters during the match. Any related disciplinary action, or review, is the remit of the Football Association. This includes player suspensions for cautions or dismissals, and any related appeals. If you have any relevant feedback or queries in this area, then please directly contact the FA.

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) was introduced at Premier League matches from Season 2019/20.

Goal Decision System is used at all Premier League matches. It is supplied by Hawk-Eye, the world’s leading provider of vision processing instruments to sport. The system aids referees with close calls, in cases where there may be some doubt if the whole ball has crossed the goal line.

Match officials use microphones to keep in contact with each other during the game.

Vanishing Spray is carried by referees, who can use it to mark out distances between defending players and the ball, before a free-kick is taken.

The use of technology in matches is primarily guided by the Laws of the Game.

The Laws of the Game are maintained by the IFAB.

Naturally the Premier League takes an active interest in this area, but has no active role in the development of the Laws. IFAB convenes periodically to discuss and debate the development of the Laws of the Game. The FA has a permanent seat on IFAB, and we would recommend contacting them directly if you have any proposals in this area.

Each Premier League club submits a squad list after each transfer window closes.

It can contain no more than 17 players who do not fulfil "Home Grown Player" criteria.

The remainder of the squad, up to a total of 25 players, must be home grown.

Changes to the squad list may be made during the period of a transfer window.

What is a Home-Grown Player?

A "Home-Grown Player" means a player who, irrespective of nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).

Rules on U21 players

Under-21 players are eligible over and above the limit of 25 players per squad. 

Each player is assigned a squad number, which they wear during Premier League matches.

For the 2024/25 campaign Under-21 players will have been born on or after 1 January 2003.

If you have any queries and would like to get in touch, please contact info@premierleague.com.