Ramadan has started again, settling into homes, training grounds and dressing rooms across the world with a good sense of purpose. For Muslims, it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a month defined by fasting from dawn until sunset, deeper prayer, reflection and generosity.
There is no food and no water during daylight hours. The fast is broken at Iftar when the sun sets, often with dates and water before a fuller meal follows. Suhoor comes before dawn, a meal that prepares the body for the long day ahead.
For professional footballers, Ramadan unfolds in the middle of a season that does not slow down. Title races sharpen, relegation battles grow tense.
Training sessions remain intense, and matchdays arrive with familiar regularity. Across England and Europe, Muslim players continue to compete at the highest level while observing the fast, balancing physical demand with spiritual commitment in a way that has become one of the most compelling rhythms in the modern game.
The Physical Demands of Fasting in Football
Football is built on repetition at high speed. A midfielder might cover 11 or 12 kilometres in a match, weaving between defensive duties and attacking transitions. A full-back will surge forward repeatedly, recover, and then run again moments later. Wingers rely on explosive acceleration. Central defenders engage in strength-based duels that require balance, timing and concentration.
All of it is usually underpinned by hydration and nutritional strategies. Fluids are consumed before, during and after matches. Energy intake is spread carefully across the day to sustain glycogen stores. Ramadan reshapes that structure completely.
When fasting stretches beyond 12 hours, especially in the UK where sunset during this period can fall between 17:00 and 19:00 GMT, the body must rely on what was consumed at Suhoor. Hydration becomes a limited resource. Energy must be used intelligently. The margin for error is small.
Still, modern football is driven by sports science, and clubs prepare for Ramadan with serious intent. At institutions such as Liverpool FC and Manchester City, players who choose to fast work closely with nutritionists, medical staff and strength coaches weeks in advance.
Suhoor meals are designed to provide slow-release carbohydrates, protein for muscle repair and sufficient fluids to delay dehydration. Iftar becomes a recovery window, carefully structured rather than rushed.
Hydration strategies are deliberate.
Players do not just drink large volumes at iftar and hope for the best. Fluids are spaced across the evening. Electrolytes are introduced, and sleep schedules are adjusted to account for night prayers and early wake-up times. Recovery staff monitor fatigue levels closely, sometimes adjusting training intensity during late afternoon sessions when energy levels are naturally lower.
The process is methodical, calm and respectful. Faith is not treated as a complication but as part of the player’s identity.
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The Mental Dimension
While the physical side of fasting often draws the most attention, many players speak about the mental clarity Ramadan brings. Abstaining from food and drink fosters discipline that stretches beyond the body. It sharpens routine and brings focus. It brings perspective to the beautiful game that can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Mohamed Salah has long been the most visible example in English football. Each year, as Ramadan arrives, his standards rarely dip. He continues to score in decisive matches, continues to press and create, and continues to carry himself with the same calm professionalism.
His preparation is detailed. His consistency is remarkable. Teammates often speak about his discipline and his leadership during this month.
Karim Benzema has delivered defining European performances while fasting, combining technical excellence with intelligent movement that reflects years of understanding his body’s limits.
Also, Sadio Mané has balanced elite output with humility and generosity, embodying the spiritual core of Ramadan while maintaining explosive pace on the pitch.
Paul Pogba too, is another player who has described the peace the month brings him, a sense of grounding amid the scrutiny that follows a high-profile career.
These players are not anomalies; they are part of a growing group of professionals who have shown that high performance and deep faith can coexist without compromise.
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The Football Rules That Apply
Beyond preparation and personal discipline, there is also a regulatory framework that recognises religious observance.
The Football Association has made its position clear through FA rule B5 on football and religious observance:
FA rule B5 football & religious observance
a. A Participant cannot be compelled to play football on bona fide occasions where religious observance precludes such activity, save where the Participant:
(i) has consented to do so on such occasions; or
(ii) is registered as a player under a written contract, which shall be taken as consent to play on such occasions unless otherwise provided for in the contract.
b. Annually, when planning programmes, Competitions shall define and notify agreed dates of such occasions.
In practical terms, this means that unless players are professionals under contract, they are free to miss football training or matches if those commitments conflict with Ramadan. For grassroots football, youth teams and amateur leagues, this clarity is significant. It affirms that religious observance is respected within the structure of the game.
For professionals, contracts usually imply consent to play, but even then, clubs increasingly engage in open dialogue. There is understanding, not pressure. There is planning, not confrontation.
Who Will Be Observing Ramadan?
There is no fixed age at which Muslims begin fasting, though it generally starts at puberty, which can occur between 8 and 16 years old. In youth football, especially in older age groups, many players will be observing Ramadan.
That carries practical implications for coaches and academies. Open communication becomes essential if there are Muslim players in a squad; conversations about their plans to fast and play should happen early.
Training intensity may need a slight adjustment. Hydration education becomes important; rest should be monitored carefully.
Clubs with strong academy systems already build this into their planning. Families are included in discussions.
Ramadan becomes a shared understanding rather than an unexpected disruption.
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The Premier League Approach
In recent seasons, the approach within the Premier League has been thoughtful and structured. The Premier League and the English Football League resume specific procedures during Ramadan, allowing matches to pause briefly so Muslim players can break their fast.
With sunset in the UK ranging from around 17:00 to 19:00 GMT during this period, the games most likely to see a pause are normally Saturday’s 17:30 kick-off and Sunday’s 16:30 kick-off.
As standard practice, club captains and match officials identify a natural break in play to allow Muslim players or officials to take on fluids or energy gels.
The stoppage is not used as a team drinks break or tactical time-out. Play does not halt mid-attack or during continuous phases. Instead, the pause comes at the earliest convenient moment, often during a goal-kick, free-kick or throw-in. The integrity of the match is preserved, and the needs of the player are respected.
This protocol was formally introduced in 2021. The first such pause took place during a match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace in April of that year. Around the half-hour mark, at a goal-kick, the game was briefly halted to allow Leicester’s Wesley Fofana and Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate to break their fast with liquids and energy supplements.
The moment was handled calmly, efficiently and with dignity.
It set a precedent that has since become part of the Premier League standard.
The gesture may appear small on the surface, but it signals a cultural maturity within English football.
Muslim players in the Premier League
The visibility of Muslim players in the Premier League has grown steadily, reflecting the global nature of the competition.
Their presence normalises the conversation around Ramadan. Young supporters watching at home see soccer players observing their faith openly while excelling in one of the most demanding leagues in the world.
Arsenal FC
- William Saliba – France
Aston Villa
- Boubacar Kamara – France
- Amadou Onana – Belgium
Bournemouth
- Amine Adli – France
- Enes Unal – Turkey
Burnley FC
- Hannibal Mejbri – Tunisia
- Zeki Amdouni – Switzerland
- Bashir Humphreys – England
- Loum Tchaouna – France
Brentford
- Dango Ouattara – Burkina Faso
- Yunus Konak – Turkey
Brighton
- Ferdi Kadioglu – Turkey
- Yasin Ayari – Sweden
- Yankuba Minten – Gambia
Chelsea FC
- Wesley Fofana – France
Crystal Palace
- Chadi Riad – Morocco
- Cheick Doucoure – Mali
- Ismaila Sarr – Senegal
Everton
- lliman Ndiaye – Senegal
- Idrissa Gueye – Senegal
Fulham FC
- Issa Diop – France
- Adama Traore – Spain
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Liverpool FC
- Mohamed Salah – Egypt
- Ibrahima Konate – France
- Hugo Ekitike – France
Manchester City
- Omar Mamoush – Egypt
- Abdukodir Khusanov – Uzbekistan
- Rayan Aït-Nouri – Algeria
Manchester United
- Amad Diallo – Ivory Coast
- Noussair Mazraoui – Morocco
- Altay Bayindir –Turkiye
- Bryan Mbeumo – Cameroon
Newcastle United
- Yoane Wissa – DR Congo
- Malick Thiaw – Germany
Nottingham Forest
- Ibrahim Sangare – Ivory Coast
Sunderland
- Habib Diarra – Senegal
- Chemsdine Talbi – Morocco
Tottenham Hotspur
- Yves Bissouma – Mali
- Mohamed Kudus – Ghana
- Pape Matar Sarr – Senegal
- Djed Spence – England
West Ham
- Jean Clair Todibo – France
- Nayef Aguerd – Morocco
- El Hadji Malick Diouf – Senegal
Wolves
- Boubacar Traore – Mali
Dressing Room Culture
Dressing rooms have always been cultural crossroads, but Ramadan has sharpened that dynamic in positive ways. Non-Muslim teammates often join Iftar meals at training grounds.
Staff learn about prayer times and fasting windows. Clubs share Ramadan greetings publicly, reinforcing solidarity.
At clubs such as Arsenal FC, public acknowledgement of Ramadan has become part of the annual calendar, reflecting both the diversity of the squad and the supporter base. These gestures matter because they show that faith has a place within the professional environment.
When sunset approaches during a match, and a brief pause allows a player to drink water for the first time that day, the applause from supporters often carries warmth rather than novelty. It feels like a shared understanding.
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Performance and Perception
There remains a perception in some corners that fasting inevitably leads to reduced performance. The evidence suggests a more nuanced reality. While some players may experience a short adjustment period in the opening days of Ramadan, many maintain their usual output once their bodies settle into the new routine.
In elite football, performance is influenced by countless variables. Fixture congestion, travel fatigue, tactical systems and minor injuries all play roles. Ramadan is one factor among many, managed through preparation rather than feared as a weakness.
The professionalism required to compete at the highest level while fasting deserves recognition. Hydration is controlled, and nutrition is planned carefully.
