In a unique and impactful move, every single Football League match scheduled for this weekend will see its kick-off time shifted by exactly one minute. This adjustment is not a logistical error but a deliberate initiative designed to underscore a critical health message: every minute truly matters when it comes to performing CPR during a cardiac arrest.
Campaign Awareness and Timing Details
All 72 clubs across the EFL, spanning the Championship, League One, and League Two, have synchronised their schedule changes for fixtures taking place between February 5th and February 9th, 2026. This effort forms part of the Every Minute Matters campaign, a collaborative venture between Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) during Heart Month. The symbolic one-minute delay serves as a powerful reminder that in a cardiac emergency, each passing moment without intervention can drastically reduce survival chances.
The Reach and Impact of the Initiative
A total of 36 EFL fixtures are participating in this coordinated schedule adjustment, aiming to capture the attention of millions of fans, whether they are attending in person or watching via broadcast. By altering the standard start times, the league leverages its broad audience to promote life-saving skills. The primary goal for February 2026 is to inspire an additional 100,000 people to begin learning CPR, contributing to a larger mission of training half a million individuals since the campaign's inception.
Tools and Resources for Learning CPR
Fans are being actively encouraged to utilise the BHF's RevivR tool, a free and user-friendly online training platform. This digital resource allows individuals to learn the basics of CPR and how to operate a defibrillator in just 15 minutes, using only a mobile phone. The campaign has already seen significant success, with over 400,000 people inspired to start learning CPR since its launch in May 2024.
Endorsements and Community Impact
The initiative has garnered support from high-profile figures, including Bristol Rovers defender and BHF ambassador Tom Lockyer, who survived an on-pitch cardiac arrest. Lockyer has publicly emphasised that his survival is directly attributable to immediate CPR and swift medical action. EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch highlighted that this one-minute adjustment is a powerful way for clubs to use their community positions to drive real-world change, uniting people behind a life-saving purpose.
This weekend's matches, including those involving clubs like Southampton and Portsmouth, will thus carry an added layer of significance, blending sport with vital health advocacy to make a tangible difference in public awareness and preparedness.
