Premier League players will have considerably less time to waste time this season after a series of new rules designed to speed up matches come into force.

The 2026/27 campaign will feature stricter measures covering substitutions, injuries, goal-kicks and throw-ins, alongside changes to what VAR is allowed to review.

One of the most noticeable will involve substitutions.

Players being replaced will now have 10 seconds to leave the pitch at the nearest point once instructed to do so.

If they take longer, their replacement cannot enter until the first stoppage after at least one minute has passed.

The rule has already demonstrated its effectiveness.

Middlesbrough striker Will Lankshear was caught out during a Carabao Cup match against Wrexham after taking too long to leave while acknowledging supporters.

His replacement was consequently forced to wait, leaving Middlesbrough temporarily playing with ten men.

Lankshear later admitted he had not known about the rule.

Injuries will also become less attractive as a method of slowing matches down, with players who receive treatment generally required to remain off the pitch for at least one minute before returning.

Referees will also be able to use visible five-second countdowns when players deliberately delay goal-kicks and throw-ins.

VAR, meanwhile, has been given additional areas in which it can intervene, including certain second-yellow-card situations and cases of mistaken identity.

The Premier League has simultaneously confirmed that it wants to maintain a high threshold for VAR intervention and improve the speed of reviews.

The overall objective is straightforward.

Football would like players to stop wasting time.

It has therefore introduced several new procedures, countdowns and reviews to ensure everybody can get on with the game as quickly as possible.