Premier League games from next season can only be rescheduled if the impact of player unavailability on a club’s squad is “truly exceptional”, the league said on Wednesday following a raft of postponements during the last campaign.
Twenty-two matches were postponed last season due to Covid-19 outbreaks and the subsequent unavailability of players, with the league being criticised by clubs for their handling of the crisis.
Under the new guidelines, requests will continue to be assessed on a case-by-case basis but only be granted if the concerned club has taken all measures to avoid a postponement.
“This will replace the previous Covid-19 match postponement guidance, providing a standard process for applications,” the league said in a statement.
