Match officials across English football have reportedly been asked to allow players to break their fast during evening matches across the Muslim holy period of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer and reflection.
It runs this year from Wednesday 22 March to Friday 21 April.
During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, breaking their fast once the sun sets.
According to a report from Sky Sports, match officials have been issued with guidance from refereeing bodies allowing Muslim players to break their fasts during evening games across the month.
The report further states that officials have been encouraged to identify those players ahead of the game starting and agree a rough time when such a pause may occur, where possible.
Muslim players in the Premier League include Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City.
During Ramadan in 2021, Leicester and Crystal Palace agreed, in conjunction with referee Graham Scott, that their fixture would pause after half-an-hour to allow Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate to break their fast.
It was believed to be the first time that an English top-level fixture had been paused to allow Muslim players to eat and drink mid-game, with Fofana tweeting his thanks afterwards.
“That’s what makes football wonderful,” the French defender, now of Chelsea, said.
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure this week described the Premier League as “the best for Muslims to be in”.
The Mali international said to the BBC: “We feel very confident here, very accepted and everything is in place for Muslim people to enjoy.
“In the Premier League you are free to do whatever suits you, they will never do anything against your faith and this is great.
“I was born in France and worked there, but between France and England there is a big difference. English people are a great example.
“Sometimes you have to listen to the people and understand what the faith means to them. It is not a choice - it matters to us to protect our faith 100%.
“I always wanted to be in the Premier League and I want to stay much longer here. It is the best league for Muslims to be in.”
