Northampton and rest of League One warned about new guidance given to referees for 2025/26 season
Referees have been told to clamp down on ‘holding’ in the penalty box this season following new guidance issued by the PGMOL.
Pulling and grappling at set-pieces will be an area of focus for match officials in 2025/26, particularly in situations where the defender is not looking at the ball, and already on the opening weekend a number of players fell foul of the guidance and conceded penalties. Another major change this season includes goalkeepers now only having a maximum of eight seconds to release the ball once they have gained control.
On the new guidance regarding pulling, the EFL explained: “Holding remains a continued area of focus in 25/26. Referees will be supported in identifying offences where a player’s contact impedes an opponent’s movement. Officials will consider both the nature of the action and its impact on the opponent’s opportunity to play or challenge for the ball.
“The considerations: sustained and/or impactful holding; clear impact on the opponent’s opportunity to play or challenge for the ball; clear non-footballing action with an impact on the opponent’s movement.
"What to look for: Only focusing on the opponent (not looking at the ball) or paying no attention to challenging or playing the ball, likely to result in being penalised.
“Holding while clearly ignoring the ball (non-footballing action) is an offence. Mutual holding is usually not penalised.”
In addition, match officials will this season be ‘empowered’ this season to do the following:
- Apply changes to updated Laws of the Game, including key changes affecting goalkeepers, dropped ball restarts and penalty-kick procedures
- Continue to take a robust approach to participant behaviour, including player conduct and technical area discipline, with a new emphasis on applying the ‘Captains Only’ approach
- Protect player welfare, especially around head injuries, while deterring tactics designed to delay or disrupt the game
- Maintain a high threshold for penalising challenges, recognising that not all contact is a foul, while ensuring player safety
A ‘less-is-more’ approach to handball will also be maintained, with referees told to recognise that not every instance of contact between a player’s hand or arm and the ball constitutes an offence.