EFL confirm surprise February schedule tweak in bid to save lives

Football across the English Football League (EFL) will make a small but powerful statement this February, as every match over one weekend kicks off one minute later than scheduled.

According to The Sun , the EFL has joined forces with the British Heart Foundation to promote the “Every Minute Matters” campaign, a nationwide effort to teach people how to perform CPR.

Since its launch, the initiative has already inspired more than 400,000 people to start learning this life-saving skill. The EFL has now decided to take things further by making a tweak to the schedule .

The governing body has confirmed that matches played between February 5 and 9 in the Championship, League One, and League Two will help push that message even further.

Former Luton Town defender Tom Lockyer has endorsed the campaign.

The 31-year-old returned to professional football earlier this season with Bristol Rovers after suffering a cardiac arrest in December 2023.

His experience has made him a powerful voice in raising awareness about the importance of CPR.

Speaking about the Every Minute Matters campaign, Lockyer said: “What happened to me can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.

“Every year, more than 40,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and most of them never make it home.

“I’m here today because of the transformative power of CPR, as every minute matters when it comes to saving a life.

“This February, we want everyone to get behind this life-saving initiative, learn the skills and be ready to step in – because your actions could give someone else the chance I was given.”

EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch weighed in on the campaign, saying that the league is well placed to encourage real change with 72 clubs spread across towns and cities.

“Our 72 Clubs sit at the heart of their communities, and they show time and again how football can drive real-world change,” he said.

“The one-minute kick-off adjustment is a simple, powerful reminder that swift CPR can be the difference between life and death.

“Since the launch of the Every Minute Matters campaign in May 2024, over 400,000 supporters have already begun learning CPR—now we’re calling on supporters everywhere to join them this February and help us pass the half million mark.”