Most English Premier League (EPL) fans consider matches to be almost sacred because it not only gives them the opportunity to partake in what is undeniably the most popular sport in the world and cheer on their beloved team but also provides a relieving sense of finality that comes with watching a match from start to finish. Nothing is therefore arguably more annoying than having a fixture featuring their favorite team(s) abandoned for one reason or another.
What happens if a Premier League game is abandoned? According to the rules of the FA, any match that falls short of the prescribed 90 minutes duration “may be ordered to count as a completed fixture or be replayed in full or in part…” A game that is called off before kickoff is usually replayed at a later date with fans being offered replacement tickets or a refund for the subsequent match.
Reasons For Abandonment
Rarely, if ever, are EPL matches abandoned. In the rare occasions that they are, it is mostly because of one or a number of these reasons. We take a look at the reasons as to why a game would be abandoned.
Harsh Weather Conditions
In the yesteryears of the EPL, matches were mostly abandoned because of harsh/bad weather. Severe rain and snow were often the two culprits responsible for this. At times, heavy fog also hindered visibility making a pitch unplayable.
Recent advances in technology have however mitigated the effects of harsh weather with most top-tier leagues such as the EPL now boasting of pitches with state-of-the-art drainage and heating systems which ensure that they are playable throughout the year.
Nowadays, EPL matches may only be abandoned because of harsh weather if it, in the opinion of the relevant authorities, risks compromising the safety of fans within and outside a stadium or makes access to and from the stadium hazardous.
Pitch Invasion
An EPL match may be abandoned if unauthorized individuals storm a pitch to an extent that the stadium’s security is unable to contain. In such instances, the safety of the players, match officials and fans are often prioritized over the continuation of a match.
Unruly fans dissatisfied with the progress of a match are mostly to blame for this. Technology has however discouraged this trend as stadiums are now equipped with CCTV cameras and facial-recognition software, which has made it possible for clubs, the league and the relevant authorities to single out and punish offenders.
Lack of Eligible Players
According to the rules laid out by the world’s football governing body, FIFA, a match may not start or continue if there are fewer than seven eligible players on either team. This may occur if more than four players from a team are sent off or if for one reason or another a team fails to field the required number of players.
Were this to happen in the EPL, a match would be abandoned and replayed at a later date in the case of the latter or be deemed a completed match or replayed in full or in part in the case of the former.
Technical Issues
Though uncommon, an EPL match may be abandoned if the pitch is facing technical issues which cannot be resolved within a reasonable time and are likely to interfere with the playing of the match.
A good example is if a stadium’s floodlights were to fail before or during a match scheduled in the evening. Reduced visibility is likely to risk the safety of both the players and officials on the pitch and the fans in the stands, which is more important than the outcome of a match. This happened at premier league games before, checkout the video below:
Safety Concerns
Since stadiums such as those in the EPL are places which accommodate the gathering of people, they must comply with certain safety standards laid out by both their respective football governing body and the regional administration.
Therefore, were there to be safety concerns such as fire or a terrorism threat, protocols to evacuate the fans, players and officials would immediately be implemented and a match abandoned until a time or date that the safety of those accessing the stadium can be guaranteed.
An example of a match that was abandoned because of safety concerns was one featuring league giants Manchester United and rivals Bournemouth in their 2015/16 EPL campaign where a suspicious package was found in one of the restrooms in the stadium.
After the stadium was evacuated, investigators discovered that the package, which looked like a bomb, was left behind by a security company which had been conducting a training exercise at the facility. The authorities subsequently disposed of the package using a controlled explosion.
Referee Problems
Most top-tier competitions like the EPL have backup officials in place to step in in the event that those appointed to officiate a match are unable to discharge their duties. There are however instances where that may not be possible resulting in the abandonment of a match.
These include cases like if a referee were to suddenly fall ill, be severely injured during play or were unable to carry out their duties safely on account of any form of aggression from the players, coaching staff or fans in attendance.
Racial Discrimination
Football is and is meant to be a beautiful sport that accommodates every person regardless of their race, religion, ethnic, social or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, wealth, birth, political affiliation or any other status.
Sadly, there have been instances both in the EPL and beyond where racism and other forms of discrimination have reared their ugly heads. It is for this reason that FIFA updated its Disciplinary Code in 2019 giving officials across all European leagues the right to abandon matches if any racist or discriminatory behavior is exhibited by fans towards players.
Clubs found guilty of perpetuating or facilitating any form of racial or discriminatory abuse are first fined $20,000. The updated rules further state that if such abuse were to persist, the club(s) would be forced to play their matches behind closed doors and be slapped with sanctions such as point deductions, relegation and even expulsion from certain competitions.
EPL players such as Liverpool marksman Mohamed Salah and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling are just some of the players that have been on the receiving end of different forms of discrimination. Players have gone on record to state that they would walk off the pitch in solidarity were one of them to be subjected to discrimination – another development which would cause a game to be abandoned.
As it stands, matches abandoned by referees because of racist or discriminatory conduct are to be declared forfeited unless there are “exceptional circumstances” mitigating the general rule.