Premier League referees will change how they judge players who pull hair this season – after three saw red for it in 2025-26 via VAR.
Referees will look for a “clear and deliberate action” before making a decision. Players are fuming, especially Erling Haaland, who took drastic scissor action this summer to foil grabby defenders. The nordic striker changed his look from ‘long-haired, Scandinavian bulldog’ to the classic ‘bulldog’. While the rules around hair-pulling are tightened, PGMOL say no changes are likely to other laws. For instance, giving opponents a Chinese Burn, wiping your bogies on their jumper or calling them ‘Smelly Poo Pants’. These still warrant a red card and being sent to bed without tea.
