Game in League Two Suspended Due to Unusual Injury to Game Official, Announcer Requests Qualified Replacement Referee
In the world of English football, two EFL matches were disrupted recently due to unexpected events.
During the EFL match between Shrewsbury and Bromley, a match official had to be substituted after suffering an injury. As per the current policy, the fourth official took over the injured official's role, leaving the match requiring a replacement fourth official from the crowd. Fortunately, a replacement was found ten minutes later, and the game was able to resume.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest's pre-season friendly against Birmingham was delayed by 15 minutes due to an operational issue. No further details about the nature of this issue were provided. The game eventually kicked off at 3:15pm.
Another League Two clash between Newport and Swindon was also delayed, but the specific reason for the delay remains unclear.
In the case of the Shrewsbury vs Bromley match, kick-off was postponed until 4pm due to an air ambulance being called and landing on the pitch. The nature of the illness that the supporter in the stands experienced was not mentioned.
It's worth noting that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) governs the policy for replacing injured match officials in EFL matches. While the IFAB's Laws cover substitution rules for players extensively, specific protocols for replacing injured officials during a game are more restricted and situational.
Typically, a football match officiating team consists of one referee, two assistant referees, one fourth official, and often a video assistant referee (VAR). If an official is injured and cannot continue, they are usually replaced by the fourth official or an appointed replacement official present at the match venue. However, if no replacement official is available, the match may continue with fewer officials as per the competition rules.
The IFAB’s Laws of the Game do not explicitly allow for additional officials to enter the field as substitutes, as is the case with players. Instead, match officials are replaced only by designated reserve officials on the panel for the match. This is a standard across professional football, including EFL matches, consistent with IFAB’s guidance updated for the 2025/26 season.
No specific new variations or separate replacement policies exclusive to EFL matches beyond these standard protocols have been publicly reported as of mid-2025.
These incidents serve as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of sports and the importance of safety measures in place to handle such situations.
In the midst of European football leagues, the Premier League stands out as a highly competitive and influential scene. During the EFL match between Shrewsbury and Bromley, the postponement of kick-off until 4pm was due to an air ambulance landing on the pitch, and the nature of the emergency involving a spectator in the stands remained undisclosed.
