Premier League hopes to introduce landmark new concussion substitute rule - as chiefs write to football's lawmakers over setting up a trial

The Premier League have formally written to football’s lawmakers to request permission to trial temporary concussion substitutes, it can be revealed, with support from the EFL and PFA.

The plea coincides with IFAB holding their Annual Business Meeting on Tuesday.

As well as the Premier League, a further 28 other leagues and unions – including Italy’s Serie A , France’s Ligue 1 , the MLS in the United States, FIFPRO, the European Leagues Association and World Leagues Association – have also signed a separate letter to the body that governs the game’s laws under FIFA backing such a trial.

Temporary concussion substitutes would see a player leave the pitch for a determined time – likely 10 or 15 minutes – to be assessed in private, with the individual allowed to return if he passes those checks with the relevant medics behind closed doors.

Daily Mail Sport has learned that the Premier League have already developed their own framework for ensuring temporary concussion substitutes would not be exploited by teams looking to use them to gain an unfair advantage over their opponents.

This would include: allowing the opposing team to make an additional substitution whenever one is used so that they can both have the same number of subs; and video footage of all instances being reviewed by an oversight group of experts to ensure usage is legitimate.

Premier League bosses have requested permission to trial temporary concussion substitutes

The change would allow players to be replaced but come back on if medics were satisfied

Up until now, IFAB have rejected the idea on the basis that they were focusing on trialling permanent concussion substitutions. However, it is believed the original time allocated for that trial has now passed with the Premier League feeling no barriers should prevent them from introducing temporary concussion substitutes instead.

No timeline has yet been set as it depends on IFAB granting approval for the first time.

The Premier League, EFL and PFA consider the trial to be in the best interests of player welfare, based on current medical and scientific evidence.

Research has shown that in male professional football, between 27 and 53 per cent of players diagnosed with concussion are not immediately removed from play.

Other sports which use temporary concession substitutes have shown its benefits. In rugby union, for example, players returning to play with a concussive problem fell from 58 per cent to eight per cent. Likewise, a 2025 study found health care professionals in football do not have enough time to complete a thorough check for concussion on the pitch.

In the Premier League, clubs are provided with medical video tablets allowing them to review head injury incidents from at least 10 camera angles during matches. Sides are also required to appoint a team doctor, medical co-ordinator and physiotherapist – all of whom must hold an Advanced Trauma Medical Management in Football qualification. It is believed this means the resources are already there to implement temporary concussion substitutes.

If granted approval, the Premier League would commit to sharing their findings with FIFA and IFAB so that the benefits can be assessed. It is hoped that IFAB will agree to meet with their Premier League counterparts to discuss further, then progress the discussion from its Annual Business Meeting to its Annual General Meeting, and then give the green light.

If rejected, it is understood the Premier League are prepared to request detailed rationale as to why.