Premier League 2024-25, slated to get underway from Saturday, will have a shorter injury time after the elongated ones averaged around 101 minutes and 35 seconds in the previous season.

The change in injury time has been enforced after referees received fresh new directives to reduce the match length. One of the major changes in the new directive is a 30-second rule following each goal, under which each referee will be allowed the aforementioned duration to reposition the teams or check the VAR.

It is to shorten the duration of the match by one minute and 30 seconds to bring the fixtures close to the 100-minute mark. The Premier League’s chief footballing officer provided more clarity on the change, stating: “Last season, we added on every second from when the ball hit the back of the net until the restart. In 2024-25, we are not going to add on the first 30 seconds because 30 seconds is the natural time it would take the two teams to get back in position for the restart after a goal.”

Last season, the injury time inflicted on a fixture went up to 10-12 minutes, which was higher in comparison to the previous season. Notably, the change in injury time ahead of a season is a common phenomenon in the footballing world that comes into effect depending on the outcomes of the previous edition.

The Premier League season will begin at Old Trafford with Manchester United hosting Fulham in the inaugural draw.