Premier League referees, led by Howard Webb, are taking steps to curb what they describe as excessive grappling and holding during corners and free kicks. Webb says too many defenders escaped punishment in the previous season for dragging or grappling attackers at set-pieces.
Officials are warning that the new season will include a tougher, more consistent approach to offences involving contact near the ball during set-piece situations. Multiple outlets report that the emphasis is on how referees deal with defenders who hold, impede, or pull opponents as teams compete for position. The Mirror frames this as a “no-nonsense” operational change by officials, while other coverage focuses more specifically on Webb’s criticism of prior enforcement gaps.
While the articles differ slightly in how they describe the scope and motivation—some highlighting a broader trend in set-piece grappling during the 2025-26 campaign—the shared message is that stricter refereeing is expected when holding or grappling occurs around corners and free kicks.
