Newcastle United set to be impacted by six 2024-25 Premier League rule changes being introduced this weekend

With semi-automated offside technology seen at Euro 2024 set to be introduced to the Premier League in the coming months, there are also several rule changes that will take place from the start of the season this weekend.

Newcastle will host newly-promoted Southampton at St James’ Park on Saturday (3pm kick-off) as they look to improve on their seventh-place finish from last season.

Here are the rule changes that have been introduced for the 2024-25 Premier League season...

Premier League team news brought forward

Premier League team news has been officially under embargo until one hour before kick-off. For example, 3pm kick-off matches would see team news released at 2pm.

But for this season, teams can now release their team news 75 minutes before kick-off rather than 60 minutes. Team sheets are shared between teams and the broadcast media of often briefed before this.

As a result, Newcastle’s opening day team news against Southampton is expected to be available from 1:45pm as opposed to 2pm. It’s a minor change that is more in keeping with the way team news is published in UEFA competitions.

Substitution warm-ups

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Premier League clubs have been able to make a maximum of five substitutions during three stoppages in a match, plus a concussion substitution if necessary. Despite the number of allotted substitutions increasing, the number of players allowed to warm up on the sidelines did not.

Prior to this season, a maximum of three substitutes from each side would be able to warm up while a game is being played. But now, teams are able to have five players warming up on the touchline at any given time during a match.

This could see some busy touchlines during games with up to 10 players allowed to warm up from both sides.

Multi-ball system

In addition to the ball in play, 14 match balls will be located around the pitch in order to cut down delays when the ball goes out of play. Balls can now quickly be swapped and ball assistants behind each goal will be allowed to provide goalkeepers with a ball to help matches restart quickly. Another small tweak that could make a noticeable difference in games this coming season.

Stoppage-time changes

In an attempt to cut down on time-wasting, referees added unprecedented amounts of stoppage time in Premier League matches last season. Now, match officials have been told to only start recording time for stoppages after goals have been scored once 30 seconds have passed.

30 seconds is deemed enough time for the goal to be celebrated and for both teams to get back into position to restart the game. Any time above that will be added at the end of the respective half.

Premier League matches last season regularly exceeded 100 minutes which drew criticism from managers regarding player welfare. The latest changes are set to reduce the amount of stoppage time added at the end of the first and second half of games.

Change to handball rules

The 2024-25 campaign will see changes to how handball offences are punished if they result in a penalty. The handball rule remains one of serious contention in football with the rules surrounding it regularly tweaked.

Now how handball penalties are punished will become more subjective and dependent on the referees interpretation. A denial of a goalscoring opportunity by handling the ball won’t automatically result in a sending-off if the handball was deemed accidental.

Referees are encouraged to treat handballs in the same manner in which they would a foul in which the player has made a genuine attempt to play or challenge for the ball. A welcome change to the handball rule that would have certainly benefitted Newcastle last season is that any deflection off the foot or the body of a player that clearly alters the trajectory of the ball onto a players arm will not be punished as a handball offence. Last season, Newcastle were denied a historic win against Paris Saint-Germain as Tino Livramento was penalised in stoppage time for handball inside the penalty area after the ball deflected off him and onto his arm.

Although the decision went against UEFA’s own rules at the time, it has now been made clear in the Premier League too.

Penalty encroachment changes

Small penalty kick changes for the new season are that part of the ball must be touching or hanging over the centre of the penalty spot when the kick is taken. This ensures a more consistent distance in which the penalties are taken.

Changes to the encroachment rules mean that a player will only be punished if they enter the penalty area before the penalty is taken and also interfere with play. If a defending player encroaches, the penalty will be re-taken if unsuccessful.

If an attacking player encroaches, a free-kick will be awarded to the defending team.

In addition, if a goalkeeper comes off his line and has an impact on a penalty being missed then the spot kick is retaken. If the goalkeeper comes off his line and the player misses the target then the miss would stand.

Penalty encroachment has been rare in Newcastle matches in recent seasons. Many will remember when The Magpies were controversially denied a penalty goal converted by Matt Ritchie for encroachment during the 2016-17 Championship season as referee Keith Stroud awarded Burton Albion a free-kick despite no obvious interference from any Newcastle player and the penalty being scored.

The decision was deemed an error after the match and Stroud apologised for his mistake.