The Premier League is set to ease the way referees judge hair pulling next season. Three players were sent off for it in 2025-26, all after VAR checks, and those dismissals have pushed force and intention to the front of the conversation.
Why the threshold is being changed
The three players sent off were Michael Keane, Lisandro Martínez and Daniel Ballard. The incidents drew strong pushback at the time. Michael Carrick called one of them "one of worst decisions I've seen", while David Moyes said his player was banned for "absolutely nothing".
That is why next season's guidance is moving towards a more careful reading of what actually happened in the tussle. The Premier League is not saying hair pulling will be ignored, but referees are being told to look harder at force, intention and whether the action was excessive.
What else referees are being asked to watch
The change is not only about hair pulling. Officials will also be asked to place a greater emphasis on grappling and holding inside the area, especially on corners and set-pieces, where the issue has become commonplace.
David Moyes summed up the concern bluntly: "You get the feeling now that referees really don't want to get involved in any of it. It's really poor that they've not tried to deal with it." The Premier League appears to be trying to deal with it now, and the pressure from those VAR-led dismissals has clearly helped force the issue.
For clubs and defenders, the practical point is simple enough. Hair pulling is still a punishable offence, but next season the line is likely to depend more on how much force was used and whether the contact changed the move, rather than on a blanket red-card response.
If that standard holds, the early-season VAR flashpoints should become less common. The first real test will come when the new guidance is put into practice next season.
Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →