The Premier League have unveiled a revised set of refereeing principles and points of emphasis for the 2026/27 season, with the most notable change seeing deliberate hair-pulling reclassified from violent conduct to a yellow card offence — provided it is carried out without excessive force.

Under the outgoing rules, hair-pulling had been treated as a red card offence after Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) designated it as violent conduct at the start of the 2025/26 campaign. Three players were sent off for the act during that season. The revised guidance now draws a distinction based on severity.